Find your heart again
by SweeetStories
Summary: Teenage parenthood isn t the scariest thing in the world when they realize that maybe, just maybe, the bad men aren t entirely gone. Mileven fluff and angst. mentions of depression, consequences of depression, anxiety, nightmares and so on. Ages: 16 and 15
1. Chapter 1

Age: 16 (Mike) and 15 (El)

Michael Wheeler forgot how to breathe. This is it, this is how I die, he thought. His hands started shaking, nerves or fear? He did not know. Why would he be afraid? It's not like chief Hopper could murder him and get away with it. Right? Right?!. He was more concerned about what the chief police would think about this than what his own parents.

He almost forgot about the girl in front of him. She looked at him quizzically, her big brown eyes penetrating into his soul as he could only panic in silence like a fucking loser.

Her fifteen year old face was gentle, relaxed and serene. Did she not fucking understand the gravity of the situation?! Of course she didn't. She had been isolated from the real world for the first twelve years of her life, she didn't know shit about the implications of having a baby at this age. She thought it was the coolest thing ever.

She tried holding his hand, but he retreated it and laid it on the edge of the bathroom sink, he may be fainting so he might as well be already holding onto something solid. El's bony shoulders weren't exactly made to support a six foot tall young man. Yes, he was a young man now. He had had sex with his girlfriend, forgotten to use a condom ONCE and now he had knocked her up. Fuck. He was a dead young man.

How was he gonna tell Hop. He had just gotten home from his honeymoon with Joyce, he really was about to give him the migraine of a lifetime. El was Hop's little girl. A sweet beacon of light in his life, a comfort, his adopted daughter. And now this shit head had ruined her. And her innocence.

-'Will you calm down already' El said peacefully. Her boyfriend looked whiter than a ghost, his freckles standing out even more. -'Is it really that bad? I thought babies were good and-', -'Yes, El! But only when people are married and stable and-', -'Are we not stable Mike?', -'EL! You are FIFTEEN years old! I am sixteen! Our parents are not rich or-', -'Yours are...', -'No! They're not! We're middle class', -'Sure Michael' she rolled her eyes and put the two white sticks on the sink, -'Your adoptive parents JUST came home from their honeymoon El, how do you think they'll react when I tell them I got their girl pregna-', -'You don't have to tell them', Mike sighed in frustration, -'Then what's your plan? How are we gonna hide this? You're gonna grow, get fat, and then what happens when you have the baby huh? Do you think this is some kind of game? You're so chill about this!', El stared at him. Her eyes weren't glistening in tears. She was strong. -'I'm gonna tell dad' she said, with confidence, -'He's gonna cut my dick off', El chucked at her boyfriend, -'I won't let him do that', -'Figure of speech. El'.

Jane Hopper sighed deeply as Mike explained all the implications of becoming young parents. Responsability, money, sleepless nights and a lot of rumours going around town.

-'My mom's gonna murder me' Mike looked down at his hands. El took one of them and kissed it, -'We'll be fine, I promise'.


	2. Chapter 2

**So before y'all start reading, a Guest commenter in my other story said they liked the story very much but didn't really enjoyed the way it was laid out for them to read and that's bc i write these on the Notes app on an iphone lol, so I took my time to actually edit this, make sure to tell me if you like this layout style and comment:)**

We need to tell them' she said, still grabbing onto his boyfriend's hand.

-'The one time I don't have a condom. The ONE time', he sighed deeply in frustration and nervousness. His mind racing a million miles per second. It's like the resf of his life flashed before his eyes.

El looked at him with a questioning look,

-'What makes you so afraid of this?',

-'Are you seriously asking me this right now',

-'YES! I think babies are wonderful',

-'El. El, what will it take you to fucking understand that having a baby at this age is not right', El looked down at their entwined hands,

-'I'm sorry' she mumbled, -'Sorry for making you angry',

-'I'm not angry. I'm just scared', El looked up againa nd nodded,

-'You should take a few more tests to-',

-'Mike, stop it! I'm pregnant okay? There's nothing we can do about it now', Mike sat at the edge of the bathub, -'I'm sixteen. How the hell am I gonna- you know what, nevermind'.

Hop was in the kitchen making some coffee for himself and smoking his beloved cigarettes, he looked serene even with the distinct frown permanently plastered in his face.

El walked into the living room and sat on the sofa, she curled up against Mike. This was like second nature already. She could feel her boyfriend shaking,

-'I want to vomit' he whispered, his hands tightly grasping hers,

-'Don't puke on me that's all I ask' she spat back with a chuckle. Mike felt like he was on death row.

-'Dad can you come in here for a sec' El called, turning the tv off with her mind. Hop grunted in response and walked over to the living room to find the teenagers cuddling on the couch,

-'What's wrong' he asked, not really paying attention to the nervous teenage girl in front of him

-'Nothing's wrong dad. We just gotta, kinda, talk to you about something',

-'Okay? Make it quick, my shift starts in thirty minutes',

El nodded and looked af Mike for a second, who looked ready to flee if necessary, -'Dad I-I'm pregnant'.

The words didnt register for the longest time. Hop's frown went from prominent to seemingly permanent. -'What',

El sighed and nodded, -'Yeah...it's true'.

Jim's deep blue eyes then looked at Mike to was practically begging for the earth to swallow him. Jim grabbed him by the neck of his hoodie and pulled the boy up. Mike had grown very tall, six foot tall and he was just sixteen, but Hopper lifted him up like he was a newborn puppy,

-'What the fuck?! Is this for real? If this is a prank I swear I'm gonna kill you Wheeler',

Mike's red cheeks turned even redder if that was even possible, his pale snow white skin was burning, and his eyes watered without warning, fuck he didnt wanted to seem weak.

-'WHAT THE FUCK WHEELER?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE',

-'N-Nothing sir, I-',

-'You obviously did! You fucking-' Hopper held his fist. If he hit mike right now the kid would need face reconstruction surgery,

-'I'm SORRY' he begged for his life, sure he would feel Hop's punch any second now,

-'You PROMISED! You promised you wouldn't hurt her!',

-'I-I didnt, we-',

-'You didnt?! SHES FIFTEEN. YOU GOT HER PREGNANT YOU-' he contained himself from spitting all kinds of slurs at the terrified young man before him,

-'Good Lord. What were you Thinking?!' He looked at El too, she had a defiant glare.

She wasnt scared. Not of her own dad.

-'We weren't thinking' she said coldly.

Mike wanted an asteroid to come and hit him in the head so he wouldnt have to take care of this mess,

-'FUCKING HELL KID! Do you have any idea of what this means?! For YOU? For fuck's sake Jane', Hop never used El's real name except when he was very angry,

-'You're gonna kill me one of these days',

El pouted and looked at her hands, -'Aren't you happy though',

-'HAPPY? FOR WHAT? FOR WHAT, JANE. TELL ME',

-'For us! Babies are wonderful and-',

-'NO! Not at this age Jane! FUCK! You're only KIDS. KIDS!'

As if they didnt know that already.

Mike looked down at his feet, his neck now blushing along with his red cheeks and ears. Hop pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in distress,

-'Listen I know how fifteen sixteen year old kids are. I know it. Just- god dammit wheeler I thought you were a fucking genius!',

Mike looked out the window now. He was excellent in science, chemistry, math...but-

', -'But youre not. Didnt you knew it only took ONE TIME?!',

-'Of course I knew chief!',

-'So what, you did this on purpose? You guys promised you were gonna have a kid or whatever the fuck pact y'all did?!',

Mike was angry now,

-'NO! WE DIDNT! We JUST had sex okay? We just did it. Without thinking',

-'Obviously...so what now huh?',

-'I hope it's a girl!' El smiled wide, almost innocently. Hopper almost had a heart attack,

-'You WHAT?! Go to your fucking room Jane! And you, Wheeler, call your parents. They need to know. Tell them to come',

Mike sighed in dismay and walked to the phone.

Hopper held El's shoulders,

-'You're my little girl. Do you THINK I wanted THIS for my little girl? Now things are gonna be hard as hell from now on',

El frowned, -'Mike said money was gonna be an issue but-but he wants to be a chemical engineer and',

-'And he can forget about that, with a child. Sleepless nights, stressing about money? Lsiten the kid is brilliant but lets be real here',

-'AND I! Im gonna be a nurse okay? We're gonna get through it', Hop winced and sat down on the couch. This was his reality now.

-'FUCK'.

He had dreams for El. Her own dreams. She wanted to be a nurse or a therapist for injured people. She had grown to like people and her heart was nice and warm. Now with a baby things got 100% more complicated. She would have to go to high school feeling sick, probably skipping classes, then when the baby comes, a month away from school, money issues...Hopper had a good salary and bonifications for being a veteran but hell- babies were expensive. Doctors were expensive. Hospitals were expensive. He was already stressed.

Mike came into the kitchen now looking pale as a ghost.

-'What did you tell them',

-'That Chief wanted to talk to them',

Jim nodded and sighed deeply holding his hands. He eyed El's wrist. Sarah's blue hairband wrapped around it. She never took it off. Flaunted it proudly like it was an 18k gold bracelet. Hopper chuckled internally and looked back down at his hands. He couldnt stay mad for long at her. El was an excellent daughter now that she could live like a normal girl. Her grades were stellar, her behaviour was great (for a teenager) and now- now this was happening. He was scared, nervous and dissappointed. They were just TOO young.

Mike sat beside El who had started to sob softly, she didnt liked seeing her dad angry at her. She had been so good.

Jim heard Mike talking to her. He had to admit, the kid was the personification of chivalry itself when it came to his daughter. The boy held his girlfriend's hands and kissed her knuckles. He examined each of her neatly manicured fingers. El had gotten good at painting her own nails with different designs, and Mike liked to look at them.

-'We'll be okay. Everytbing's gonna be okay El. I promise', El pouted and laid her head on his shoulder,

-'What about college and money and-',

-'I'll probably have to start working next year',

-'Of WHAT. You have no experience in anything',

-'You forget I'm a great math, science and chem tutor. And I'm also good at fixing electronics and car engines',

-'So you're gonna be a tutor and a mechanic?',

-'Maybe. For a while...until we figure this out completely. Then, promise me...you will persue your dream of being a nurse or a therapist. Promise me',

El looked at him with teary eyes, she nodded,

-'And you'll be a chemical engineer', Mike agreed silently

, -'Scholarships are gonna help me a lot...I already have two offers from different colleges',

-'Gosh that sounds too good to be true',

-'Yeah. Now that I think about it, our education could be fine', El nodded and sighed deeply,

-'I'm scared now Mike. We are so young', Mike nodded and looked at his lap,

-'We are...',

-'Do you really think we'll struggle with the money? I don't want that', Mike shrugged,

-'Depends on what my parents say',

-'How do you think they will react?', Mike thought for a second,

-'My mom will probably be okay with it. Like not okay but just chill. My dad though...him and I have always had issues', El nodded.

She knew this was true.

Karen parked her car at the driveway. She winced at her heels sinking into the moist ground. She locked the car and greeted Hopper who was sitting outside in the porch. El and Mike came out of the house looking like they were about to get shot.

Karen smiled at her son. He had grown so much and into such a complete, smart handsome young man. Unlike Ted, she appreciated Mike's efforts to be a good kid.

-'Hi Hop! Hello kids' she hugged El and rubbed Mike's shoulder,

-'What's up?',

-'Uhhh-', Mike muttered under his breath, Hop offered Karen a chair and a glass of wine. She'd need that later.

-'Oh thank you',

-'You're welcome Karen. How've you been?',

-'Oh you know, just fine. Same old!',

Hopper smiled. Karen had always been graceful, gorgeous. Every guy's dream. Not really Hopper's though, that's why he was with Joyce,

-'How's you and Joyce?' Karen asked with a grin,

-'we've been great, thanks'c

-'Good to hear...what's this thing you wanted to talk about?' She asked, darting her hazel eyes all the way over to the teens like a fucking flashlight.

Mike sighed deeply and braced for impact,

-'Mom, El...El- fuck...get it together, idiot' he rubbed his face and pinched his own freckled nose, -'El's pregnant'.

Karen didn't say anything for a while. She examined the girl from head to toe. As if she was trying to memorize ever curl, every edge of her angular face, every strike of brown in her eyes...

-'Right. H-How-', the question was a dumb one. Of course she knew how babies were made, she had three of her own

-'Well mom you want me to get into details?!' Mike blurted out suddenly irritated. Karen's eyes went even wider,

-'Michael!',

-'I'm sorry' El said quietly, rubbing the blue hairband on her wrist.

Karen looked at the glass of wine and took a sip, she looked at Hopper,

-'What- what...if this is a prank, I-',

-'It's not, Karen'

Hopper pointed at the chair beside her, two white sticks with a plus sign on them.

Her breath choked. She glanced at her son and his girlfriend.

-'I mean. What can we do now? Like seriously' she looked over at Hop,

-'You expect her to get ride of it?!',

-'I never said that Karen',

-'B-But...what can we do by now? She's already pregnant so we have to deal with it',

-'We?'

-'Yes, WE. It's both our kids involved',

-'Aren't you gonna scold your lanky, way too skinny, wimpy child?!',

-'Don't talk about him like that' El interrupted Hopper mid speech. Karen turned to Mike,

-'What HAPPENED',

-'We forgot to...take care I guess',

-'The hell you did!',

Mike looked at his shoe laces,

-'Where's dad',

-'Didn't wanna come. Thought it was nothing major'.

Mike chuckled sarcastically and held El's trembling hand,

-'We're gonna be fine. We talked and...yes we are terrified but we're gonna do this' El had never spoken so clearly in her life.

This was MAJOR.

Karen looked at Mike,

-'Do you love her, Michael?', she was serious. Mike looked up and nodded vigorously,

-'Yes I do. I love her',

-'And do you love Mike, El? I mean, Jane-',

-'Call me El. Yes I do...I love him.

Karen glanced at Hopper who had lit up a cigarette. He sighed out the smoke and shook his head,

-'She's my baby, Karen. You know that. Everyone knows that. And now my little girl is- is...it's just hard to grasp',

Karen nodded,

-'Mike's my only son. How do you think I feel?', Mike and El stood there watching their parents discuss their situation. It was kind of annoying.

-'I think Ted's gonna be proud',

-'Ha! You really dont know him...he's been acting...up, lately. Or not even acting at all...',

-'...He's gonna be a grandfather, he HAS to know Karen',

-'What should I just drag him over? I'm gonna tell him at home. WE are gonna tell him at home',

Karen stood up and grabbed Mike's hand,

-'We'll talk in the car'.

Mike's 6 foot tall stature dwarfs his mother's but she still was scary when she wanted to be.

El and Mike said bye with a chaste and quick kiss, under the glare of both parents as the boy walked to the car with a reluctant look in his freckled face.

Dinner was unsually quiet in the Hopper household that night. Jim's mind was going a million miles per hour thinking about everything

they needed to get done.

He watched his daughter eat some mashed potatoes and rotisserie chicken with delight.

-'So...you're keeping it' he said, gently to not scare her or make her sad,

-'It? A baby is not an IT' she remarked not looking up at her adoptive father.

-'You're right...they're not an It. We have to think about what we're gonna do El. As far as money, and-and-',

-'I talked to Mike after he told Ted. They have money, Dad. A lot of it. You can see it',

Hopper sighed deeply and took a sip of his beer. Yes. The Wheelers had money. Big house, nice cars, nice clothes...

-'Yeah, I guess you're right', El nodded and continued with the chicken,

-'His dad didn't cared. He says Karen is gonna help with a lot of stuff, since Ted doesnt seem to care. She manages the money either way'.

Hopper nodded, it's like El had it all figured out.

-'It's gonna be very hard. You know that right?', El nodded,

-'I know I know...' she teared up, -'Just don't make me get rid of them, dad' the last word a broken whisper.

Hopper left his chair and hugged his daughter tight,

-'I'm not gonna make you do anything El, I promise',

-'I'm sorry I let you down dad',

-'No, no sweetie...you didn't. Entirely', she chuckled between tears and held him tighter. Her face changed from relieved to a worried frown, her eyes closed tightly, -'I'm scared' she whispered shakily; Hopper nodded,

-'I know. It's too much to handle at your age...Jane, I'm still...angry and in denial and disappointed by all this but I swear I'm gonna do everything in my power to help you two. Even if I still wanna murder that boyfriend of yours',

El sighed heavily and tears sprouted from her eyes,

-'What's gonna happen now dad?',

-'Well...I guess we have to take you to a doctor...a special one. Because you are a special girl', El rolled her eyes under her eyelids,

-'This has to be a secret for a while' Hop mumbled into her hair, -'I don't want the wrong people finding out about this', -'The bad men?', silence reigned for a few seconds, -'Yes. The bad men'.

Then it hit her.

-'Dad don't let them take our baby, please don't let that happen, I'm gonna die if they try, please' her breathing got more and more irregular as fear and panic settled in,

-'JANE' hopper held her shoulders and looked into her innocent doe brown eyes, -'I will not let anyone place one finger on you...are we clear?',

El wiped her tears,

-'If they find out about this, I'm gonna put everything I love in danger' she was using big words, articulate, wise.

-'They won't. One day at a time okay? We have talked about this',

El nodded and nuzzled herself into her father's protective hug again.

He smelled like pine trees, fresh air and fainting cologne. Like outdoors.

The place she loved the most.

Mike hid his face in his hands as he heard his mom and dad speak about the situation.

-'We will take care of it Karen, it's done'

-'No! It's not done! You never gave him the talk, this is why this happened!'

-'Kids these days are smarter, Karen. It will be fine'

Karen sighed in frustration and rolled her eyes. Ted was so annoying and disinterested.

-'And now what?! We have to help the girl',

-'Then so be it, Karen..'

-'Aren't you gonna talk to your own son?! He's right there Ted'

-'It's too late for that isn't it?' Ted turned to Mike, who was red with embarrassment and probably stress,

-'Son. Listen...Things happen. Things like this happen to some families, okay?' Mike didnt know where he was going with all this.

-'You're gonna be a dad in a few months, and that's a huge responsibility. For you and your girlfriend. We will help you with the money, but school and baby is all on you two' Ted looked back at Karen seemingly satisfied with his own speech. Karen rolled her eyes and went to the kitchen to do the dishes.

-'Can I go' Mike mumbled, wanting to cry.

-'Yes'.

The boy rushed upstairs and locked his bedroom door. He looked at the ceiling for a while. If he and El were 10 years older the news of a child would've thrilled him but that wasn't the case. He was sixteen. He had a bright future before him. He promised El, despite all this, he would major in chemical engineering. He was a brilliant young man. And now he was gonna be a dad, and he had to take that reality and make it bearable.

He grabbed the supercom. As soon as he tuned into El's channel, she answered

-'Hi Mike'

-'Hi El'

Silence.

-'Whats wrong' she asked

-'I talked to my dad. He doesnt seem amused about anything these days'

-'oh. And what did he say'

-'He says we will help with the money so I probably won't have to work to...sustain anybody'

El nodded -'Right'

Mike sighed and thought for a sec in silence

-'Are you afraid' he finally said

-'Yes. Very'

-'I am too´

-'I'm just a kid...and-and what about school and...I talked to dad about this but, what if the bad men, if the evil part of the lab...finds out about this'

Mike's blood ran cold. How could he had not thought of this first? Of COURSE.

-'If they find out-'

-'If they find out I think they may try to take away our baby, Mike' she sobbed

Mike really didn't thought of this thing as his child yet. The shock was just too much. He just hated seeing his girlfriend scared or sad.

El sobbed, her cries being amplified by the ceramic of the toilet bowl, thick tears dropping from her face. It was midnight and she was awoken by terrible and uncomfortable nausea and now she just felt too tired and weak to get up. Hopper got up, following the sounds of the sobbing. He opened the bathroom door and suppressed a gasp,

-'El...? El? Girl?' He rubbed her shoulder, she was pale and sweating cold,

-'I can't do this...I feel terrible' her head felt like it was floating, and she was sure her stomach had left her body,

-'Oh my girl...come here, you'll be fine',

he tied her curls back and held her up. She vomited again (at this point it was just bile and spit) on her way to the bedroom. Owens told them nausea should be gone soon, but shit was getting out of hand. Shes too young for this, Hopper kept saying to himself, her body can't do this.

When all this started and they all had decided to keep the baby, Hopper enrolled El into the homeschooling program. She would have less credits but still just enough to pass onto the next year.

Mike? Mike had sleepless nights. Studying and worrying. He had bags under his eyes, even though his grades were outstanding, all that came with a price. Every day after school he would visit El at the cabin. He would come with a folder in his backpack, her homework for the day. He saw her deteriorating more and more.

-'Hey El, brought your favorite chili fries!' He was happy because Hopper let him spend the night at the cabin with them; El smiled wide and hugged him tight, -'Thanks babe' she mumbled and kissed him gently. She had dropped a few pounds due to all the vomiting. Owens was worried about that but assumed it was normal. Even though she was supposed to be gaining weight.

-'You're showing already' the young boy pointed, trying not to feel light headed, El chuckled,-'That's because I'm all skin and bones...I have to eat more but I keep puking', Mike sighed, now he had one more thing to worry about,

-'I need you to be fine. What has Dr Owens said?',

-'He says I should be fine, as it progresses. I just feel myself getting weaker and weaker...can barely do chores now, I feel bad for dad, he has to do everything', Mike looked down at his lap,

-'How far along are you again?',

-'Almost four months apparently'; Mike nodded absently,

-'...I'm sorry' he mumbled under his breath. El didnt know how many times he had to tell him to stop apologizing.

She decided to ignore it, so she wouldnt get mad.

-'How's school?' She asked, Mike smiled

-'Good. I mean I'm doing good, I'm top of the class right now, so I'm managing',

Gosh he was so humble. Managing? Mike had gotten two scholarship offers already for different engineering schools. One for mechanic engineering, the other for chemical and genetic engineering. He was a nerd. And a good one.

-'Sounds like more than managing', El smiled proudly,

-'Yeah...everyone knows about the-...the baby as well, you know? They figured that's why you're not at school',

-'Wha- the party? Of course they know, we told them',

-'Yeah, them but...like our classmates and teachers',

-'Oh, yeah. That's normal I guess',

-'They don't really talk about it...some girls just ask me how you're doing and stuff, people don't seem to care',

-'No, because last year everyone started getting pregnant so now it's not weird anymore Mike', the boy snorted, -'Mhmm, I guess...my mom is getting excited about the idea. She says it'll be like having another baby of her own',

El chuckled nervously

-'That's fine I guess...anyway, lets dig into these delicious fries shall we?'.

Ten minutes later, El had vomited her bedroom floor and almost gotten Mike as well,

-'I'm sorry' she sobbed, incredibly frustrated at her incapability to keep food down,

-'I'm so tired of this' she cried, her throat burned and her stomach felt like it was turning inside out. Mike was panicked and heartbroken at the same time,

-'El, El you're fine', he hugged the small girl gently and Hopper came into the room. He looked fucking exhausted, he had covered a few shifts and had barely gotten any sleep because El

Kept getting sick at night,

-'Is she puking again?', Mike nodded at the floor, Hop rubbed his eyes,

-'Okay, kid. Come on, let's get you a bath', Jane let out a whimper of disgrace,

-'Dad, don't make me',

-'Come on, you have to honey...you're fine, you're fine'.

That night Hopper sent Mike home. It was freezing and the moonlight didn't do much but he needed to leave. El was very sick.

A week later, she was allowed to go outside again. After a check up by Dr. Owens, she was given the go to begin her activities again, as limited as they were.

Lucas and Dustin had made her a 'feel better' gift. A box of chocolates wrapped in gift paper with polaroids of her friends printed on it.

-'Guys this is so sweet' she mumbled, with tears in her eyes, Lucas chuckled and high fived his friend,

-'We thought you'd like it. And make you smile a little',

-'That it did!'. Lucas cleared his throat,

-'I know Mike doesnt want us asking too many questions but...what has Dr. Owens said?', El sighed, where to begin?

-'Well I'm underweight, obviously. I've been so sick lately but-he gave me some things and now I can be around people without being sick on them',

Dustin chuckled and grabbed her wrist,

-'Well I'm glad to hear that'.

Karen's smiling face was the first thing Hopper saw when he opened the door at 3pm that day.

-'Hi Jim', -'Hey Karen', -'Can I come in? I have casserole and cookies for El', -'El's not here, she's at the doctor's with Joyce', Karen nodded, -'Okay well...I just wanna talk', Hopper let her in.

-'He has two offers of scholarships in Chicago...he's in junior high Jim', Hopper chuckled,

-'Can't say I was as brilliant as your son, Karen', the woman nodded slowly,

-'It's for some engineering type of stuff...he's very excited',

-'And now with a kid-',

-'I know...maybe he can start working there and send El money-', Jim chuckled sarcastically

-'It's not about the money Karen. I will not allow that baby to grow up without a dad, do you hear me? Am I clear?', Karen looked down,

-'Then what. He should just ditch his opportunities?',

-'That's not what I'm saying...we can work it out',

-'We better. How's El doing?',

-'In school she's doing fine, a lot of As, scattered B's but that's it...homeschooling hasn't been so bad. Health wise though, I'm worried. Joyce is worried. Everyone-', -'What-whats wrong with her?', -'Shes in her second trimester and hasn't stopped vomiting, has only gained a few pounds and that's because we give her supplementary drinks...last time I went with her to a check up at the lab- I mean, hospital...the doctor told me she was too weak and sick...she's adopted, remember I told you',

-'Yeah, of course',

-'So the place she was in...was very bad. Ans her body for some reason...is in bad shape, so the doctor told us it was best to sterilize her after this is all done', Karen had tears in her eyes,

-'What?', Hopper nodded trying not to cry,

-'It's bad. Karen. Mike blames himself, I don't know if he has talked to you about this or-',

-'No!',

-'Okay then...it's whats happening',

-'Oh your poor girl...',

-'Jane. Yeah...I'm proud of her though. At first I was angry and sad, now I just remind her every day how important she is to me'.

The door slammed open, Joyce was holding El from her arm,

-'Bathroom' she pointed, Hopper jumped into action and lifted the lid of the toilet, letting El spill the contents of her stomach into it,

-'What the hell is it now? Shes barely eating!',

-'The car movement...' Joyce sighed, barely registering that Karen was right there, Hopper held a hand to his forehead,

-'Dear fucking Jesus give her a break', El started sobbing,

-'It's burning my mouth' she gasped for air, at this point it was just stomach acid pouring into the toilet bowl, Joyce came in with a glass of ice water,

-'Here, have this', the girl ate the ice chips and drank the water; Karen kneeled beside her and stroked her head,

-'Hey...better?', El nodded and got up with her help,

-'You wanna go to bed?', she nodded again and tried to seem strong in front of Mike's mom. El laid down on her warm bed and cuddled the teddy bear she had named Mike. The adults went into the kitchen to talk about the visit.

Joyce sighed deeply in dismay,

-'So...they made her an ultrasound today and the baby is just very small for the time being...Owens said-he said we can't wait past seven months, it's too risky on her body and...and after that's done, they're gonna sterilize her for sure',

-'We knew this',

-'Yes. But they have no idea what's wrong with her', Karen held her face in her hands,

-'But the baby's fine right?',

-'Yeah, just tiny. And it's gonna be born tiny',

-'It? We dont know the gender yet?', Joyce turned to Karen and chuckled

-'Mike and El say they want it to be a surprise', Karen nodded gently,

-'Of course. He just-he just doesnt talk to me about this much',  
-'He doesnt mention it to pretty much anybody. Still in shock',

-'And scared' Joyce added,

-'Of course, I understand', -'Their friends dont ask him much about it either, it's a sensitive topic...which is fine I guess' Hopper sighed deeply, -'What else did Owens said Joyce?', Karen leaned in expectantly,

-'Well' the brunette woman started, -'He told us she's not producing milk either, so what I'm trying to say here is...it's a miracle the baby's still alive, she's barely carrying it, but it should be fine until its born', Hopper put his hands on his face trying not to cry,

-'Jesus christ what is wrong with her', Joyce shrugged. She did know. She just wasn't gonna discuss Hawkins lab experiments in front of Karen Wheeler.


	3. Chapter 3

Jim Hopper and Joyce Byers laid beside each other in the queen sized bed. Both looked up at the ceiling.

-'They tried to sterilize her, with medication' Joyce said blankly, -'Experimented new ways of massive castration treatments for poor overpopulated places...she wasn't on it long enough so it would work...Owens said it damaged some parts of her reproductive system...which is why this situation is so dangerous. It's better to stay still for a while if we don't wanna lose this baby. Or her'.

Hopper didn't realized tears were falling down his face, -'She doesn't deserve this...being a lab rat in the name of social engineering'.

-'Nobody does. We'll get through this together, and at the end they'll be great parents okay?', Joyce's calm and serene voice soothed him. the man nodded silently and rolled over to get some sleep.

-'So now we make a Punnet chart, right?' Mike's pencil scribbled quickly down a worksheet. He analysed things in the blink of an eye and had an answer to the genetics problem presented before him.

-'Right...I hate those'

He was helping El with her biology homework since she was too tired to feel like doing anything, -'I'm sorry you have to do my homework' she pouted watching him write the answers (most likely correct, since his score in biology was damn well near flawless)

-'No, this is what I'm good at. I'm a nerd remember?' He chuckled to himself, El blushed -'You're my nerd though' she pinched his cheek, -'Pretty' she yawned and laid back on her bed.

-'You okay?' Mike asked, looking up from the Punnet charts.

-'Yeah I'm better than yesterday, vomited all day',

-'You're thin...I can see your shoulder bones and your hipbones',

-'Yeah. Shit happens',

-'You need to eat, El',

The girl frowned, -'I have been eating Michael, what part of I have permanent vomits do you not understand?'.

Mike looked down at his lap, El could see the anguish settling into his fine features -'Sorry...I'm just worried...my hair's been falling out, mom says it's because of stress...', -'Stress? Stress, Mike? Are you serious?', -'What-',

-'You don't know what stress is, Michael. Stress is having to go to the doctor once a week to see if the baby is still alive, stress is vomiting everything you eat and having your throat burn every second of it. You know what they told me and Joyce the last time we went? Papa gave me experimental sterilizing pills...I'm fucked up, Mike. The baby's fucked up...THAT is stress'.

Surprised by El's nervous outburst, Mike's cheeks got red, tears falling down his face, -'I'm sorry I haven't been here for you, I've just been so busy with school, trying to get more opportunities so I-I can sustain you two later on!', El sighed deeply, -'...I understand. I love you, I'm just incredibly nervous. Like am I gonna be a good mom? Is the baby gonna come out okay? Or even ALIVE? Like...and-'

-'Hey. I love you too. You're gonna be great. WE are gonna be great, okay? But I need you to relax'

he nestled his head between her chest and her barely there belly, -'You two are my everything. Even if I'm still scared shitless about all this'.

When Joyce came into El's room she saw Mike sitting on a chair beside her, with half of his body resting against El's upper body and stomach. It was adorable and endearing.

_•••_

-'Baby's coming next month' El sighed an anxious breath, her knee going up and down as she tried to keep the mashed potatoes ans chicken dish in her stomach. Hopper nodded, -'Yeah...You okay with sharing your room with a baby?', El started laughing, -'Dad! Of course I am! Theres no one I would want to share it with more!'

-'Good. I'll put a small fridge and a microwave in there so-so you don't have to walk out at night when it wakes up'

El nodded, -'What do you think it's gonna be?', -'I bet Mike $10 it was a girl',

-'YOU? Dad? Hopper? Jim Hopper? THE chief? Made a bet with Michael Wheeler?'

-'Listen we must make the best out of this situation ok? Might as well have a little fun with it'

El cackled this time, -'Okay okay, so you think it's a girl'

-'Yeah. Your boyfriend thinks it's a boy. Have you thought of names yet?'

she tapped her lip with her finger-'Not really...the party is!'

-'Don't listen to those kids, they'll wanna name the kid Knight or Gandalf or some shit',

-'DAD!'.

_••••_

-'Are you still good for the movie night?' Mike asked as he laid his head on her lap.

El nodded, -'Sure. As long as I finish this paper in time'

-'How many chapters do you have left to do?', -'One and a half. Give me an hour'. And no, don't even offer to do my homework again, I'm fine'

-'Okay..how do you feel today?', he asked curiously. Always so thoughtful.

-'I'm good, the medicine is working I guess. I'm still low weight'

-'Just fifteen pounds you said you gained', -'Yeah, so I'm 113 pounds now...it sucks'

-'As long as you feel good and the baby's fine then I'll take it. It shouldn't matter, I think'

El nodded and caressed his hair,

-'I hope it doesnt have your mop of hair, this is unacceptable Mike' her fingers kept getting tangled in his dark curls.

She secretly hoped their kid looked like him. He was...pretty.

-'Like a girl' she whispered, dancing her fingers along his face.

Mike frowned, -'What like a girl?'

-'Nothing. You...you look like a girl. Pretty', -'...What do I do with this information, El', -'Live with it!' She chuckled, pinching his nose, -'Cute nose! Cute cheeks! Cute face stars!-', -'FRECKLES'

-'I said face stars!',

-'Okay okay! Face stars...' Mike blushed and kissed her hand, -'I love you', -'I love you too'.

El shook her head when Max tried to touch her belly, -'I don't-I don't really like people touching...it. If that's okay'.

Max's eyes widened, -'Of course! I won't insist then', El smiled kindly at the girl and sat down on the couch with her

-'They're gonna be here a month from now' El said quietly.

Max looked at her, -'Already? Isn't it too soon?', -'They don't want me to be any sicker for two more months so...they'll take the baby out in a month',

-'Oooh...are you excited? Do you have the room ready?' The redhead asked eagerly, -'Kinda...It's gonna be in my room you know? There's not much I can do about it' El chuckled, -'Karen bought us a...what's it called...ugh, come on' El got up from the couch and took Max's hand, dragging her to her bedroom.

It was colored light pink, with some Madonna pop art on the walls, a pin board with polaroids of her and the party, Hopper and Joyce and even Steve, Jonathan and Nancy.

In the center though was a picture she had framed herself of Mike giving her a piggyback ride a few months back. It was her favorite picture in the world.

Max cleared her throat, -'Karen bought you a crib?'

-'Baby bed, yes'

The redhead chuckled -'Okay, baby bed. It's cute! All shiny white and new and expensive', El sighed and rolled her eyes at Max,

-'Ain't gonna lie, the Wheelers do know how to gift stuff!'

-'They're NICE. Okay?', -'Of course they are. And kind of rich' Max giggled and looked into El's drawers,. She found all kinds of teenager clothes, some scattered printed bras, and even stray hair ties.

'You need to make space for baby clothes El, what the fuck?'

-'Wha-is there not space in there?'

-'Do you have any idea of what you're gonna need for a kid?' You need pj's, onesies, day clothes...',

El looked At her friend with wide eyes.

-'...I'm perplexed by your obliviousness. We gotta go baby shopping one day'

-'I'm technically on bed rest Max, can't be out for long'

-'Well then I'll bring the shopping to you! Ask your little boyfriend for some cash and I'll do the rest, ok?', El nodded still unsure,

-'Okay, she responded in defeat but a bit curious as to what Max would choose to buy for her kid.

-'Are you excited, dad?' Dustin punched his friend in the shoulder playfully.

-'Please don't call me that, I'm gonna vomit', Will chuckled -'Mike's a sensitive pimple with this topic, guys!'

-'The hell I am...I mean...I'm happy now if that's what you mean! Few months ago I would be passing out cold if you asked me this',

Lucas shook his head, -'It's gonna be great...have you chosen names yet?'

-'Not really. We don't even know if its a boy or a girl. I bet Hopper $10 that it was a boy though'.

Will's eyes widened, -'We should go in on a bet as well then!'.

Lucas and Dustin smiled and scooped change out of their pockets, -'Are you seriously gonna bet for this?' Mike frowned

-'YES' they all responded. -'I say it's a girl' Will put a crumpled dollar on the table, -'Boy' Dustin said, -'Girl, definitely. And she'll be called El Two' Lucas slapped a dollar bill too, Mike punched him playfully, -'Douchebag!'.

Dustin was curious about what his friend thought of becoming a parent.

-'So what do you expect from all this...what excites you? There must he something positive you feel, kiddo'.

Mike played with his own hands, -'I don't know I guess it'll be fun to teach it everything I know...to be a good person...that's all'.

-'God I hope it doesn't come out looking like you, poor kid', Dustin sighed, faking exhaustion, Will cackled and Mike glared at him.

-'You guys are fucking evil, did y'all know that?!'.

El sat beside Mike, Hopper passed her a big bowl of popcorn and some water as he headed to his bedroom he shared with Joyce.

-'Don't stay up so late kids',

-'Copy that, Chief' Licas responded while absently looking at the movie playing on the TV.

Max cupped her hands around her mouth, -'DON'T BE LOUD' she spat

Hopper choked, -'I swear I'm gonna kill you kids', Max chuckled, and stole some popcorn from Lucas.

-'...So I'm like E.T and you're Elliot' El mumbled at Mike, not taking her eyes off the screen. Mike chuckled, -'I guess. You're not an alien are you?'

El laughed, -'You're a dummy' she cuddled into him gently.

Mike yawned and rested his head on El's desk, -'I am...not functional right now' he rubbed his eyes lazily and pouted

-'What do you think about Isabella?' El asked him, with a pencil and a pad in her hands, -'Pretty' he mumbled, half asleep.

-'Mike, you're not paying attention to me!'

-'El it's midnight. I have a calculus test tomorrow and-'

-'AND baby's gonna be here by next week and it doesn't have a name!'

-'...We can just make one up when its born, huh? Sounds good?',

El rolled her eyes, -'I'm thinking Isabella, or Mikayla...'.

the boy chuckled, high in tiredness -'Mike-ayla', El looked over at him and flipped his notebook with her mind

-'HEY! What did I say!'

-'You're being dumb. Come here', Mike unglued his face from the desk and dragged his feet over to her.

-'I bet your dad that it's a boy',

-'I hear you? Have you thought of boy names then?'

-'I like Aleks...and Levi, maybe...I'm not sure', -'Those are good names',

-'Mhhm, you have good names too. But now I just think I'm gonna go home, it's late and I have a test tomorrow'

-'Okay, drive safely...and good luck!',

-'Sure, goodnight El, love you', -'Love you too'.

Joyce came into El's room that night.

She was feeling sick again but that was the usual, -'Meds can only work for so long huh?' The older woman chuckled, while rubbing her back soothingly.

El nodded and sighed deeply

-'I think I'm just nervous...',

-'Which is normal. What are you nervous about? We have everything'

-'I just-I know I haven't been healthy and I know I'll get sterilisation surgery soon too and it's just a lot, okay?',

Joyce nodded and held her hands, -'Just...think about when all that is done. You'll have a cute baby and you'll be free of danger forever'.

The girl flashed her a half smile, -'Mike likes to pretend he's not excited. But he is. I know he is', -'Mike's a very special young man. Mature one too'

-'He's making bets with our friends. One dollar bets, he says the baby's a boy everyone else thinks it's a girl I don't know why'.

-'Happened to me as well, and look. Two boys', El chuckled again and cuddled back into the pillows, -'I just want this to be over, Joyce' she mumbled quietly -'I know I've been underweight and sick but it's not my fault' she wiped away some tears.

-'Oh we know that honey. Everyone knows that. We love you so much and we appreciate you! Never forGet that. You're doing your best, everything is gonna be okay, I promise. I'll make sure of that'.


	4. Chapter 4

The nice doctor wrote her weight on a chart, -'So...118 pounds', the lady looked up from the paper and frowned at the young girl. She was basically skin and bones if It wasn't for the belly in her middle section which wasn't very big to begin with, -'Okay...how have you been feeling?', -'Fine I guess. Just nervous', El responded. the lady smiled -'Yeah that's normal...okay let's take your vitals, see if everything is in order and we can get going!'.

Mike felt light headed as he walked back into Hawkins lab. He felt nervous, first because he was returning to a place of dread. It wasn't now, it was full of specialised good doctors but still. Second, his girlfriend was about to go into surgery to deliver their only kid. And he was sixteen. Sixteen...soon to be seventeen...but still sixteen. A kid himself.

Karen walked behind him trying to catch up to his long legs, -'Slow down Mike', she rolled her eyes, getting winded just trying to keep up. Mike looked back, -'Come on mom, surgery's in ten minutes I have to be there', -'Fine fine! This place is fucking enormous', Mike nodded vaguely and then stopped in his tracks, -'Is dad coming?', -'Dont hhink so he's at work', ...he's really gonna miss this...he thought.

Of course. That's his thing. Missing important shit.

-'And-and Nancy?', -'She's coming tonight, remember I told you', Karen responded calmly.

Mike shook his head as if to clear his mind, -'Right. I'm just forgetting everything now, I'm sorry', Karen chuckled and laid a hand on his shoulder, -'Calm down. It'll be okay'.

El was sitting at the edge of her bed sobbing into Hopper's embrace, -'I'm scared dad' she mumbled.

The man nodded, -'I know kid. It's fine to be scared though, it lets out emotions. It's normal. And this will be over before you know it', -'C-Can you stay in here with me?' She looked up at him with big, frightened eyes.

The numerous doctors turned their back and looked at them, -'No, only her mom can be here'

-'And-and what about Mike?',

-'No minors'.

Hopper closed his eyes, -'Shit...you'll have Joyce here is that alright?', El sobbed some into her hands before agreeing, -'I-I guess' she bit her lip.

El grabbed Hopper's neck and lowered him down so only he could hear what she was saying, -'Don't let anyone take the baby dad...please'. This made Jim's blood run cold. Of course he wasn't gonna let anyone get hurt.

-'I promise...I promise I won't let anyone take anything away from you'.

As soon as Hopper came out of the surgery room area, Joyce jolted on her feet, -'S-So? Can I go in?' She asked shakily.

Hopper nodded and held her arms to keep her in place since she was pacing and swaying nervously.

He looked beside Joyce.

Mike and Karen.

The boy looked 5 seconds away from throwing up and Karen was just giddy and excited. Jesus, what a pair.

Mike's head shot up, -'I can't go in and be with her?' He frowned, Hopper laid a hand on his shoulder -'They say no minors...I'm sorry', -'That's BULLSHIT! I should be there for her!',

-'Mike, those are the rules. Can you fucking abide to them for one second of your life? This is important, son' Hopper insisted.

Mike got up and looked at Joyce in the eye, -'Let her know Imm here but they won't let me in. Just tell her I'm here waiting for her, okay?'

Joyce Byers had never heard Michael Wheeler talk more seriously and clearly; the woman nodded and hugged him tight

-'Just calm yourself down, Karen make sure's he's calm okay? Everything's gonna be okay', Mike had started shaking like he was freezing, he nodded and hugged Joyce again.

For some reason he didn't dare to look at Hopper. Who unfortunately sat beside him.

The huge man glanced at Mike. His hands were trembling anxiously and Hopper noticed, -'Kid...calm down', he pleaded for his own sanity.

Karen watched the interaction from afar.

-'C-calm? Calm down? Excuse me, do you-'

-'Michael not now' Karen sighed deeply,

-'Kid I'm a forty year old man. I've been through some shit. And that's my daughter in there. My teenage daughter. Who you put in that situation. Do you think I'm any calmer? But do you see me shaking like a leaf? Now stick this in your head: She's fine, the doctors are good and everything's gonna be okay. GOT IT? Do not stress me any further, kid cuz I swear to God', Mike nodded quickly, his face getting even paler.

A few more minutes into the waiting and Karen gasped, -'Oh I forgot! We brought this!' She pulled out a small pastel green blanket from a gift bag. Mike found solace in the piece of fabric and held it tight for the rest of the way.

Joyce came out an hour later, cheeks blushing. She actually looked happy and glowing.

-'So?' Hopper stood up first, almost knocking Mike back, -'So she's still under anaesthesia, but everything went really well, and...', -'And?' Karen insisted, Joyce looked around Hopper's shoulder over at Mike, -'You won the bet, Mike'.

The young man felt like he was punched in the chest and he couldn't gain his breath back. He felt his limbs go limp, only feeling strong enough to lean into his mom while sobbing uncontrollably.

Karen was flashing her usual, stunning wide smile, a few tears prickling around her eyes while she tried to make her son stop crying.

Hopper hugged Joyce tight and kissed her head, -'Thank fuck' he sighed in relief a bit too loud.

Joyce giggled, -'I cried in there, I just wish El had been awake to see it happening', Joyce looked up and saw Hopper's eyes watering, he was so proud and relieved tht everything was okay it was like nothing could break this joy.

••••

Mike laid his head on the side of the plastic incubator that held his son. He was so small, he almost didn't looked real. The young man's big brown eyes had skimmed over the baby's little body so many times he was positive he knew it by heart. Was it normal to be looking at someone for an hour straight? He asked himself. Didn't mattered. All Mike knew was that this was probably what love was all about.

-'And to think I was actually scared of you' he mumbled, trying to keep himself from drifting asleep, -'I don't know why though. You don't look scary at all' he chuckled to himself and inspected the little face again, the kid's tiny eyes covered by thin eyelids, the skin so pale 'it almost glows in the dark' El used to teased Mike, who had the same skin tone as the small being before him, and a soft layer of black hair that seemed to look like lint carpeted the crown of his head, -'Ah, yes. Black hair. Hopper said you'd be blonde' Mike snorted, -'I hope you get freckles like me as well so we can piss him off together'.

The main doctor called Mike back into El's room. First thing he saw was her 6ft3 father engulfing her in a hug. He really was just sobbing into her skinny shoulder while she cuddled into his coat, a huge smile on her face. Mike felt like he was falling in love all over again. Her face was fresh as a lettuce, as if nothing had happened at all. She had found the time to braid her god damn hair too, like, WHO has time for that now? He only saw her face transform into a crying expression when she saw him approaching the bed. She slithered her arms out of Hopper's grasp and shot them out at Mike who almost got into the bed with her, eager to cuddle her whole, -'El' he gasped into her hair, -'Mike...' her voice was calm but wavering nonetheless, her shoulder bones poked at his arms, her ribs grazing his fingers,

-'I'm so proud of you, I love you, you're so brave' he blurted out, a bit too loud;

El smiled and nodded -'I love you too'

-'Are you-are you okay? How are you?'

El sighed deeply and let him go too, -'Well my surgery wound hurts' she took some blankets off her and showed him a stitched vertical scar on her stomach, -'It looks gross and it's gonna hurt for a while but now I just wanna see him, have you seen him?', she talked about their son like he was some friend coming to visit. The inmense sense of love hadn't overwhelmed her yet.

Jane Hopper held the small baby into her. Like a hug. Instead of just grabbing him conventionally. -'I like feeling close' she explained while tears clouded her eyes, Mike chuckled and sat beside her. El had an amazing way of making connections with people with TOUCH. Which is why she liked hugging. She held her face against the little boys' shoulder and kissed his cheek, -'So cute, isn't he the cutest?', -'I agree' Mike smiled so wide his freckles looked like they were gonna fly off his face; he grinned even wider when he saw El make contact with the small being, -'I love you, you know that? My little sunshine' she giggled and cuddled the little boy again.


	5. Chapter 5

_1 YEAR LATER_

-'UP WE GO!' Mike put his son Levi on his shoulders while they walked down the boardwalk to the beach in order to meet with the party,

-'Hold on! Take his shirt off it's too hot and we're gonna be in the water anyways', Mike rolled his eyes and sat on a near bench so El could handle it,

-'Hurry up mom, we wanna go have fun at the beach, right?!' He tickled the little boys' foot,

-'Don't speak for him' El put the small piece of fabric in a beach tote and turned to Mike, -'I think he's saying we want ice cream first'she added with a grin.

-'Is he drooling on me' Mike asked as he licked his vanilla ice cream cone, El looked up at the little boy holding onto his dad's hair, -'A little bit. Every time I let him have some it just goes in your hair', -'God dammit' Mike gagged, and El chuckled, -'It's fine! He seems to like ice cream though'; Levi's eyes were big like Mike's but of a greenish tint, like El's mom, -'He's just staring at my ice cream, I won't let him have any more babe I promise', -'He's lucky I love him, I would've fought his little ass for messing up my hair', El slapped him playfully and then kissed his arm, -'Let's just go find the party'.

All the members of the party came running out of the water to greet them. They tackled El into a beach chair, hugging her tight, she laughed and screamed 'Get off me, guys, it's hot out here!', -'You're getting tackled by TWO since Mike has cargo on him' Lucas pointed up at baby Levi, -'That's not fair!' She continued laughing at the tickles, as Mike sat on a spread out towel and put the little boy beside him, close enough to the sand that it caressed his small toes.

-'Hit me' Dustin put his palm up to Levi's face, the jolly little boy tapped it gently, as the teen had taught him, -'That's right! Good job', he pinched the kid's belly and ran after Will to get his frisbee back. Max grabbed a hold of the baby to distract him while Mike and El got ready to hit the water.

El discarded her pants and was about to throw her shirt off when she stopped, frozen cold and looked down at her belly. Mike noticed immediately, -'What's up?' He asked curiously, arranging the cap that sat atop his untameable mountain of hair. El bit her lip, -'That's a huge scar...I-I never noticed it that much but now...at the beach, with all these people and-and the party-', Mike frowned deeply -'El. There's nothing wrong with your scar', the scar was a vertical mark that went from her belly button to just above her pubic bone. It was pretty unmissable if she wore the bikini properly.

But really, El was beautiful. Her small, dainty figure a combination of femenine curves and athleticism. Flawless.

The girl looked up at him with watery eyes. Well shit.

-'Hey, hey don't cry El...you look beautiful okay?',

-'But I have this THING and everyone will ask me about it, and-and it's just fucking hideous',

Mike looked annoyed at this point...-'And you know what you're gonna tell whoever asks you? You're gonna say I got this scar so that my son could be here, and you're gonna point at that tiny ball of adorable chub and wear your scar proudly, okay? Because it's made of love and bravery'.

El's jaw dropped, -'Damn. Without a stutter', Mike rolled his eyes and swiftly took off El's shirt, -'Come on, centrefold model, let's go have some summer fun!'.

Max helped Will take pictures of the tiny family within their family. It was great to see how Mike and El had not changed at all for the past year, even if they added yet another member to their party. They still were lighthearted, and as fun as two kids about to start their senior year could be. But most of all, they were inlove. With each other and with their son, which was how it was meant to be.

The little family made their way into the Byers house. It was pretty late at night and they were all tired but of course Mike had to drive back to his own place.

El found Hopper asleep on the couch, and what a better way to wake him up that sitting the black haired baby she held, on top of her dad's side; -'FUCK' he groaned, startled, quickly feeling a pair of very very tiny hands grabbing at the edges of his beard, -'You kids are gonna kill me' he sighed, giving into the infant's charm and letting him play with his face,

-'Sorry it's late, there was traffic coming back' El apologised gently while putting some bags with clothes back into her room,

-'It's okay, it's summer, traffic's supposed to be crazy', Hopper inspected the child playing with his hat, -'He's pink' he pinched the baby's freckly cheeks, he grabbed his small hands and kissed them,

Mike chuckled from a corner of the kitchen, -'Yeah, the sun was pretty good...at least we know he can get somewhat tanned, right El?', -'Yeah, unlike you. You still glow in the dark', Hopper grinned quietly as his daughter joined Mike back in the kitchen.

The two teenagers sat down face to face, each hugging a cold can of Coke in their hands,

-'So I have that Chicago Institute of Tech interview tomorrow' Mike glared down at the can distractedly, he was nervous.

-'With the dean right? He must've seen something in you if he made the trip from Chicago just to meet you!' El smiled wide, and proudly;

Mike tried to agree, -'Still nervous though...',

-'...does he know about us?' The girl asked, pointing her glare at Hopper who was making Levi watch some Western in the TMC channel,

-'Yeah, that's the first thing I told him about...he was okay with it, he said he only cares about my marks and projects and ideas so it really calmed me down a bit',

El nodded and sipped her Coke, -'And depending on this interview...',

-'He'll enroll me in the chemical engineering junior program...which is...I'd have to travel to Chicago, I get to stay in the dorms, see college life, meet some teachers and get introductory classes', Mike explained, his pride noticeable in his voice.

-'That's AMAZING Mike!' El was beaming, she really was so damn proud of Michael she wanted to cry, the tall boy grinned widely,

-'Thanks babe, means a lot to me...all this, everything I do...I just want you to know I'm doing it for you and Levi, okay?', -'But you love chemistry and-and', -'Yeah but I mean, If I have to go away early for college for a bit, I'll do it because I want to have good opportunities that will help you two',

El nodded slowly and sipped more of her drink, -'We had a good day today...I know you're tired, all the studying and stuff but, it was nice you have time for us',

Mike frowned deeply, his dark eyebrows pulling together, and his freckles dancing around them, -'Time? Time for you? Jane...' he held her hands after muttering her legal name, -'Jane, if I could spend every waking second with you two, I would. Nothing makes me happier than driving here after school with you in the passenger's seat, and opening up this door and seeing Levi doing some adorable stunt with Joyce or-or my mom and...honestly, that sense of calm and happiness is all I want for us three. And that's why I'm putting so much work into my schooling. So we can live in that peace, ok?'.

El was crying by now. She got up and sat on Mike's lap, hugging him tight, -'If that's what you gotta do, then that's great and I support you'.

-'Goodnight buddy' Mike kissed the little boy in his head and then kissed his girlfriend gently, -'I'll see you tomorrow after the interview ok? I'll call you', El nodded and kissed his cheek, -'Goodnight and good luck', -'Thanks, goodbye Sir!', Hopper groaned, -'It's HOPPER, kid!', -'okay sir' Mike chuckled when he heard Hopper grunt again, before closing the door and getting into his car to drive home.

Hopper watched as El arranged stuff around her room for bedtime, while continuosly glancing at what Levi was doing with Mike's Rubiks cube, -'Have you ever wondered' he said, -'if he has powers as well?', El stopped for a second, taken aback by he father's question and then sighed, -'Yeah I always wondered. He doesn't have powers, dad', Hopper frowned, -'How do you know that?', -'If he had powers we would've known already. He would mess up the lights, pass energy onto me. But he doesn't. He's normal, and that helps me sleep at night' she smiled and sat beside him, -'Means no one will come after him'. Hopper was taken aback by her sudden sombreness, -'Still, nobody gets to him without getting through Pop first huh?', El chuckled as her dad picked up the little boy with one arm and put him on his shoulders. As tired as the infant was, he screamed delightfully at the sudden playfulness of his grandpa, the teenage girl decided to taunt him, -'Nobody gets to Levi without getting through Mike first', -'Mike? MIKE?' Hopper held the baby in front of him, -'You know why your dad is in track team? hes in track team because he's too tall and he weighs nothing and thats why he can run so fast...but anybody can get through Mike, he's all skin, bones, hair and freckles and , El shook her head jokingly and made a gesture with her hand to make Hopper's hat fall off his head, -'he tries his best' El admitted, while grabbing a sky blue soft towel and a bottle of baby shampoo, -'Come on young man, we gotta get that salt water off you!'.

The sound of radio static woke El up. She was spread out on top of the duvet, a small figure bundled under the blankets beside her, and a stray baby bottle slowly dripping its remaining content beside the blanketed child.

It had been a hard night for her since Levi needed his oxygen therapy that night and his mother had to stay up a few extra hours to help his bronchopulmonary dysplasia. A terrible chronic illness caused by his premature birth.

El unglued her face from the pillow and sighed deeply, completely annoyed at whoever was interrupting her sleep, -'What the fuck' she mumbled, patting beside her to, make sure her son was still next to her and breathing, and then flicking her pinky finger to open the supercom wavelengths,

-'EL!' Mike's cheerful voice greeted her, she grunted, -'GOOD MORNING EL!', -'Why are you so happy?', -'I got accepted! Into the early admission orientation plan! I'm going to Chicago Tech!', El rubbed her eyes and yawned while sitting up, -'That's great baby, I told you the dean would see how brilliant you are', Mike let out a satisfied chuckle, -'I wanna take you and baby L for a celebratory breakfast, what do you say?', El looked beside her at the small mess made by the milk in the bottle, the little boy's hair all tangled around, -'Sure, I'll go get ready', -'I'll be there in ten to help, over and out', El chuckled at his nerdiness and decided it was time to get up.

Mike opened the door into the Byers house, Joyce must've left early since Hopper was the one trying to make breakfast, -'Your son has been keeping me up all night, babbling and babbling...he only shuts up when he has food in his mouth or a paci', -'...Good morning to you too sir', the boy sighed deeply, hanging his backpack in the coat-hanger, Hopper grunted and buttered another french toast, -'He's not wrong' Mike heard Will, who was eating some cereal while watching TV, -'GOOD. MORNING. WILL' he emphasised every word, then ruffling his friend's hair, -'They're in the bathroom, he's probably torturing my sister right now', Will chuckled, -'El knows I don't do baths, I'm the diaper man but I don't do baths', -'Good to know William' Mike rolled his eyes and went to help his girlfriend.

—-

-'HE IS THE CUTEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN!' The waitress at the restaurant marveled at the green-eyed little baby, -'He looks exactly like his big brother! Freckles and all! Just adorable', Mike and El didn't look amused. It was clear the waitress much rather think that Mike was Levi's brother than face the truth of teenage parents.

-'Sure...thanks, I guess. Anyway, what do you want El?', -'Fried chicken and waffled with yogurt sauce, and a pot of honey', -'Got it, you?', -'Scrambled eggs and pancakes' Mike turned to his girlfriend, -'Did you brought his bottle?', El nodded and held up a small bag, the waitress' face dropped. Teenage parents indeed. She rolled her eyes and gazed at the couple with a judgemental look, a look they had grown accustomed since last year.

-'So I start the program in like two months', -'Damn, that's far away', -'Yeah well, it's when it's available. I'm gonna have to fly to Chicago',

El nodded, -'How long is it?'

-'Six weeks...'

-'...Six weeks...away from us'

-'Yeah but we can still talk on the phone you know? It won't be that bad, I think',

El tried to convince herself of it and smiled forcefully, -'I'll miss your help with this one' she nodded at Levi, who was now biting at the nipple of his bottle

-'I'll miss you two a lot. I promise to call every day'

El nodded slowly and bit onto her fried chicken so she didn't have to talk.

By the time they were almost done, Mike had sat the child on his lap and was sharing pancakes

-'You're making a mess, young man'

he chuckled and cleaned the baby's face while El observed tenderly, -'You're so good with him',

Mike looked up, his thick hair falling slightly over her eyes, his freckles fading a bit against the blush of his cheeks, -'Thanks..I-I try'

-'It's what you're supposed to do. You're the dad',

Mike nodded and sighed deeply, -'I really love him more than anything. And because of that! We are going to the strip mall later and get some new clothes and toys for this young lad, right Levi?'

The baby looked up at his father and reached for his nose, -'Nope, you're all syrupy and gross, get your act together'.

El buckled up her son in the car seat while Mike started the engine of his 77' BMW (A gift from his grandparents rewarding his excellent marks and scholarships. It was used but he loved it and it ran as good as new).

-'All set?' He asked, putting on his seatbelt, -'Yep. To the strip mall, Michael Theodore! Godspeed!', Mike chuckled at El's funny voice and started driving.

He turned on the radio and started singing along to some song with El, he looked in the rearview mirror and realized Levi was asleep, -'He is down for the count' he laughed, pointing at the backseat. El sighed in relief, -'GOOD', she yelled over the sound of the radio and the wind. She looked to her left to examine Mike's physique. His deep midnight hair was blowing around like crazy, his big eyes kind of squinting because of the sun and the hair. He was flawless.

That was the last thing Jane Hopper saw before she felt herself being hurdled against the dashboard of the car and falling unconscious.


	6. Chapter 6

Mike Wheeler felt himself being slid out of fhe pilot seat by several different arms and hands. He could barely breathe because of all the blood falling into his nose and mouth. Just pain. He tried to talk but it was impossible.

-'Another car hit them from behind!', -'They just pushed the car forward!', -'Someone took the baby!'.

As soon as Mike heard that sentence it was as if adrenaline was injected into his heart. He tried to stand up, leaning against the bodies of some random people trying to help him. His lip was quivering, his bloodshot eyes looked around the scene. He could barely see his champagne BMW destroyed. Almost split in two against a pine tree. He realized he was drooling blood all over himself, and tried to keep his legs from shaking too much, -'Where is he' he whispered before going into a bloody coughing fit, -'Calm down man, just take it easy', he recognized the voice. The good samaritan was the captain of Hawkins High basketball team. The voice screamed above the commotion, -'Hey how's the girl?!', Jane...Mike thought. How's Jane.

He heard sirens approaching. They probably called the police as well, so the chief must be on his way.

-'Unconscious but alive! Hey isn't she the chief's daughter?!' One of the women helping El asked urgently.

Hopper sighed deeply and grabbed his hat, -'These kids I SWEAR. Monday mornings are for-', -'Coffee and contemplation' Flo finished for him, -'Yeah, but not when a pair of possibly drunk kids get in an accident, god dammit'. The man boarded his truck and breathed deeply two times, slightly annoyed at having to work so hard so early, -'If they were drunk I swear to god', and started heading towards the scene.

-'BMW' he scoffed, recognizing the blue and white logo plastered in the back of the car. -'BMW' he repeated...then his mind registered the model. A 77' sedan. And the color. "Hideous poop water" as he would tease the Wheeler kid. -'Fuck...' his blood ran cold. His hands trembled as he struggled to pull down the stick to P. -'Please no, please tell me I'm wrong, please God', he wasn't a religious man but god dammit if his daughter and grandson were in that car, he was gonna pray to anybody who listened. He jogged towards the scene. The motor was steaming, they had crashed into a pine tree. The airbags were bloodied. And the baby car seat behind them, empty. There was no doubt it was Mike's car now. The baby seat was light pink, because everyone was sure Levi was gonna be a girl and they never changed it when the child was born.

-'JANE?! JANE?!' He called, a few heads turned, -'CHIEF! She's right here!', Jim pushed through the small crowd and crouched beside his daughter who had a broken nose, an eye swollen shut and a broken wrist from what he could see, -'Oh my God, Jane, JANE?! Baby answer me, where are the FUCKING ambulances?! JANE? JANE WAKE UP', -'We've tried everything Chief, she's still fainted', -'Oh FUCK...FUCK! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN, WHERE IS LEVI?', a few faces frowned, -'Who's-', -'THE BABY IN THE BACK SEAT! WHERE IS HE?!', -'The people who made them crash took him' a woman said between nervous tears. His biggest fear. He knew exactly who had done this.

A high pitched scream interrupted his thoughts and desperation.

-'PUT THE COAT SLEEVE IN HIS MOUTH DONT LET HIM BITE HIS TONGUE', Mike had been an after thought. He ran with shaky legs towards the young man who was himself surrounded by some people. He recognised the jock from the basketball team. The screams were coming from a girl probably of Jane's age. He quickly realised the cause. Mike had gone into a seizure, he was foaming blood from his mouth, -'FUCK. MIKE? MICHAEL!', -'DON'T TOUCH HIM JUST LET IT PASS', the only thing Hop was thinking was brain damage. FUCK. The seizure lasted for another minute until finally his body went limp. Hopper leaned in to confirm his son-in-law was still breathing. He was.

-'SHES AWAKE' some voices announced. Hopper jolted into his feet and ran to his daughter. She was holding her head and crying, shaking violently as if she was freezing.

She hugged her father trying to breathe evenly, -'D-Dad, h-how's L-L...', -'El? El listen to me...They took him', Jane's blood turned freezing cold, -'Who', -'...The people from the lab, I believe', the girl looked up with her huge brown eyes. She started crying desperately, trying to not believe what her father just told her. Her despair caused the engine of the car to blow up in flame, -'STOP IT' he yelled at her, shaking her by the shoulders, El hugged him tightly, -'MIKE?' She called suddenly and uneasy, Hop sighed deeply, -'They're helping him El, he'll be fine. As will you'.

-'I can't breathe' he whispered. Or wheezed. -'I can't breathe' he repeated, more clearly now. He heard people around him. A lot of people.

-'Mike?! Mike don't faint okay? You'll be fine, we're gonna take care of you', he started crying, -'Please don't touch me' he sobbed, -'You have a broken rib and a swollen eye and maybe head trauma, you have to stay very very still now', he started hyperventilating not caring about how every breath felt like a stab, -'W-Where's Jane? Where's Le-', -'We don't know how they're doing Mike, we're just tending for you', this broke Mike's heart even worse, not knowing how his family was, if they were even alive, and where the fuck was his son? Who had taken him? To a safe place? Kidnapped him? The thought of it made his stomach drop.

El cried desperately, sitting on the edge of the hospital bed with Joyce holding her hand as a nurse closed the open wound on her forehead, -'Where is he, ma? Where's Levi?' Her lip trembled violently, it's like she kept forgetting what her dad had told her an hour ago. He's gone. The bad men took him. Stole him from her. Stole a piece of her soul. She was too weak to use her powers but she was sure that if she had had full potential, the whole hospital would've erupted into flames; -'I don't know sweetie, Hop is working on it, he-he's good, he's the best okay? Look at me. We are gonna find him', gosh this brought her terrible flashbacks of when Will was missing. But this was a one year old boy they were talking about. With a pair of young, un experimented parents on the verge of an anxiety attack.

Karen Wheeler's hands were shaking as she held her son's bloodied face. The bleeding had ceased but the stubborn substance had stuck to his forehead and the surrounding black locks of thick hair. She threw herself at him and he let out a scream, -'AHHH MOM GET THE FUCK OFF ME' his rib felt like it was stabbing him. The woman stepped back, looking ten times as worried. -'Broken rib' a nearby doctor explained, -'BROKEN RIB?! AND-AND...WHAT ELSE?! WHAT's WRONG WITH HIM?'. After narrating the happenings to the worried mother, Karen finally thought a bit harder, -'Where-Where is Levi', a nurse frowned, -'Who's Levi?', -'My grandson. He's one, he was in the car with-with...is he here? I wanna see him', -'Ma'am, we were told by the police that the child was...taken. They're on the case as we speak' she turned to Mike with a terrified gaze. If Mike didnt looked nervous before he sure did now.

The nurse gave El some painkillers, bandaged her eyes and injected her with a calming substance, she was still shaking but a bit less violently now, -'Mike?' She called, holding Joyce's hand so tight her knuckles turned white, -'Karen says he's stable...you'll be able to see him soon', -'M-Mike?', -'Yeah, he's fine baby...he's fine', -'And-And where's Levi mommy? Where IS he?', the woman sighed, shock was playing with El's mind, -'Your dad's looking for him Jane', -'Is he lost?', joyce bit her lip, -'I'm not sure baby...he's working on it', -'Is he-is he hurt?', -'I don't know Jane...' .


	7. Chapter 7

Michael Wheeler heard a faint voice calling for him.

-'Mike? MIKE?' The voice got louder, as it pounded against his ears and drilled into his brain, -'Fuck' he whispered to himself, a shaky hand laid on his forehead, who the fuck?

-'Mike' the voice called again, gently now that his eyelids were stirring, -'It's El...baby wake up', he scrunched up his nose and his freckles danced around it, -'El?', -'Yes, it-it's me', she was crying. Crying? What for?. Mike sat up quickly, feeling intense pain on his left rib, a headache making it's way in.

He held his hand out, reaching for her bandaged wrist, -'Babe' he mumbled, his lip so swollen he could barely speak properly, -'Mike, thank God...are you okay?', -'As ok as I can be...', El leaned down and kissed his head, -'Mike, Mike he's missing' she sobbed desperately, -'I know' Mike felt the tears pooling his eyes. The sting of the salty fluid making everything harder. -'I think Papa took him' El felt his chest clench as she admitted her worst fear, -'He doesn't have powers Mike, what are they- God, what are they gonna do to him?!', -'I don't know El' a cough, -'I have n-no idea' another painful cough. Jane held Mike's face gently, -'H-How are you?' What happened?', -'Fisured rib. Concussion...can't remember what else' he covered his face with his hands, -'I'm so worried about him El', -'Dad's working on it. Joyce-Joyce...she told me she's gonna make flyers', -'oh God come on, we know who did this!', -'Yes but the public doesnt! This has to be a smoke screen while we work to find him Mike!', she was panicking and the lights wer flickering, -"Jane stop...just stop okay? We are gonna get through this. We have to go to school next week, and face this and face everybody, are we clear? Now i'm scared. I'm scared shitless...that's my son out there okay?', -'IT'S MY SON TOO MIKE!' Tears spilled out of her eyes. An ocean.

After El calmed down, she sat down at Mike's bedside and waited for Hopper to arrive.

Her foot tapped nervously, holding Mike's hand so tight her knuckles turned white, -'Watch the IV, El' he reminded her between gritted teeth, -'Sorry, I'm just nervous', -'I know'.

Hopper entered the room two minutes later.

El bolted off Mike's beside, -'What-what do you-?', -'Nothing' his eyes were cloudy with tears, he rubbed his face and groaned when El slammed her body against his, -'Dad you have to find him, please' it reminded him of Joyce's desperation when Will went missing, but this time he felt it right through his heart, -'El...Mike...I swear on my life, I will find your son, okay? I swear', Mike was trying to hide his tears, -'Joyce is making flyers...this gotta be a smoke screen for everyone else..', -'Hopper if Sam Owens is behind all this you better tell me now so I can go murder him with my own two hands', -'Michael, Levi is not in Hawkins lab', the young man stopped breathing and stared up at him with huge eyes, -'What', -'We turned the place upside down. There's still some of my guys working around there...he is not in Hawkins Lab'; El's cries became even more desperate, -'THEN WHERE IS HE?! WHERE DID HEY TAKE HIM DAD?!', -'El, if you keep screaming they're gonna get you out of here and-', El pushed Hopper away and jumped beside Mike on his bed, she hugged him as carefully as she could. She took two handfuls of his hair and made him look at her, -'I'm-I'm DESPERATE Mike...I-I-', -'Can you find him in the void?' He asked in a low voice. His brown eyes penetrated hers. -'The void?' Hopper asked, El turned her head, -'That's where I can see all of you...it's an empty space. I can find people in it'. That had to be it.

The doctors had let El sleep in Mike's hospital room after they learned she was his girlfriend and the mom of his son.

They heard a knock. It was 10pm.

Will's auburn head of hair poked into the room, El hopped into her feet and grabbed the two bags he was waving around, -'Two changes for esch of y'all and toiletries. We are all thinking of you', El flashed Will an unsure smile, -'Thanks', -'You're my sister El. We are family...this is what we do', he wiped a small tear, -'We all miss him back at home. I know you're gonna find him', -'I will...', -'How's Mike?', -'He's asleep, docs gave him painkillers so...it's about him he rested, he cried all day', Will looked down and sighed heavily, -'I'll visit tomorrow okay? Goodnight El', -'Night, thank you so much, by the way', the girl laid the bags on the two visiting chairs a few feet from the bed where Mike was sleeping heavily. He needed it. The pain, worry and stress had taken a toll on his body and he had asked for something to help him sleep.

El dug into her backpack and got some lotion and her toothbrush and toothpaste out of it. She went on with her night routine. When she went to put the things back in, her hands grazed against something soft. She pulled on the material. Levi's first baby blankie. Karen had embroidered it with the child's initials as a gift. She tried not to cry there and then.

El looked around in the darkness of Mike's room. The steady beeping of his heart monitor, and the even sound of his breathing were to assure her it was the real world.

She laid a hand on Mike's arm gently, trying to make a connection with him in the void too but to no avail. She closed her eyes once again and clutched the pale green blanket with both hands. Like a bloodhound looking for a missing person.

When the girl opened her eyes, she found herself surrounded by complete darkness. Had she even opened her eyes?. The floor was covered in water but she didn't get wet. The sound of the void was overwhelming. But it was actually just silence. She was gripping the blanket so hard she thought she was gonna poke holes through it with her fingers. Her hands were shaking. Her whole body was trembling in fear but fund-less anticipation. Was he even here? Was he grown enough to be channeled?

Then El heard it. A sound. Not just a sound. But THE sound. The most beautiful one in the world. Or perhaps the scariest. A whimper.

Her legs took off before she even had time to command them to. She sprinted across and towards the sound, heavy tears falling from her face, -'LEVI?! LEVI? BABY?' Her son couldn't speak yet but she was hopeful he could recognise her voice and respond somehow.

Then she found him.

He was clearly upset. His lower lip pouting like Mike's used to do. His hair was wet for some reason. His big, hazel green eyes were terrified. His white skin glowed in the darkness of the void. His head cradled with the same helmet they made Eleven wear when she was at the lab.

-'He doesn't have powers' she whispered, breathless, -'HE DOESN'T HAVE POWERS! LEAVE HIM ALONE!' She crouched in front of the boy who was still whimpering probably wondering why he wasn't with his family.

-'Baby it's mamma, I'm here' El knew that if she touched him he would go out in a puff of smoke, so she just leaned in a tried to soothe him with words, -'Where are you' she asked herself; her eyes went big when a suited man grabbed the crying child, -'HE DOESNT HACE POWERS PLEASE LEAVE HIM ALONE TAKE ME JUST LEAVE HIM ALONE, PLEASE!' She cried desperately, the baby and the man disappeared and El was left freaking out on Mike's hospital bed. She didn't realised he was cradling her, a bunch of nurses poking at her eyes, -'Has she taken any drugs?' She heard one ask, Mike's response was a blur. — 'DRUGS?! WHAT DRUGS?! ARE YOU INSANE?!', Mike yelled at the nurse, how dare they accuse El of taking DRUGS; -'Okay Michael you need to calm down and-', -'El? Baby? What's wrong? What happened? You can talk to me', the girl tried to speak through the tears, her whole body was shaking and her lip was quivering, -'I SAW HIM...Mike. They're-they're doing TESTS. TESTS! On him, I-I couldn't help him', Jane saw Mike's face change from worried and curious to equally devastated, -'What? What do you mean tests? Where is he?', -'I-I couldn't see..' el crumbled in his arms, putting pressure on his bad rib, which made him grit his teeth but that was the least of his worries. The rest of the nurse team just stared at the couple interacting. They felt like they were intruding into something much more emotionally bonding than any of them were able to comprehend.

The tears kept falling onto Mike's chest, -'El, we will figure this out' he tried to soothe her by caressing her back, -'Come on, girl', the nurses were now taking a distance ready to give Jane some stress medication once she decided to back away from her boyfriend, -'I-I don't want our baby to end up like me and Mamma, Mike', she could barely word that out before starting to sob, -'He won't, El...we are gonna find him, and he's gonna be safe and happy okay? I fucking...I swear on my life'.

The nurses gave El a sleeping pill and proceeded to call Hopper to inform him of her panic attack.

-'I'll be right there' he had said. He was at the station, holding his third cup of coffee and looking through tips about his grandson. He wasn't gonna sleep until he found him.


	8. Chapter 8

Hopper entered Mike's hospital room to find him cuddling his daughter, -'You're safe, you're okay' he heard him mumble into her hair, she was falling asleep. -'Hey' he greeted gently, trying not to interrupt. Hopper looked exhausted, drained but relieved that she was fine. One thing to not worry about, for a change. -'How is she?' He asked, putting his jacket on some chairs, -'Better. They gave her a pill...she went to the void. Saw Levi in it', Hopper tensed up, -'And what made her so upset', Mike covered his face with his hands, -'They're experimenting on him, Hop. They really are...', he chuckled sadly, wiping away some tears, -'He doesn't have powers. He-He's normal. Like me...and they're fucking experimenting on him', -'So we are full on looking for a lab. Do you think there may be more? Like Hawkins lab?', -'Yeah. And they'r ekeeping him in one of those...', Hopper wasn't expecting Mike to burst into tears, -'Michael. Michael come on', -'Sir, do you know...you know what happened last May? Last May, Levi was born, and honestly when I saw him for the first time, all the fear I had just evaporated...and everything was easier from then on...remember I moved into your house for-', -'One month, yes', -'I promised El during that month, every day, I'd tell her I would take care of them. Both her and Levi. And now I failed', Hopper sighed deeply, -'Michael, oh my god you haven't failed', -'My son is missing Sir. Half of me, is gone. They took him'. Hopper closed his eyes and took Mike's hand, -'I'm doing everything I can. You know what you two are gonna do? You're gonna go into your first day of school, in two weeks...and if this hasn't been resolved by then, you're gonna act normal...Imm gonna make sure to let your teachers know about all this, I'm sure they understand', -'Dear jesus you arent sending us to school', -'YES I AM MICHAEL. This has to look not suspicious', -'OUR SON IS MISSING ANYWAYS. DOESNT MATTER IF HE WAS TAKEN BY A MONSTER, THE GOVERNMENT OR SOME GUY, HOP! HE'S GONE'.

Gone.

 _Gone._

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

El took her shirt off, startling Mike, who almost fell off her bed, -'What the fuck, El?' He said, a bit too loud. The girl rolled her eyes, -'He likes being close, it makes him calm', she sat against the metal rail at the top of her bed and held the small baby into her, like hugging him gently. He may have not been able to breastfeed but El didn't found that as an excuse to drive him off such powerful human contact, especially with his own mother.

-'It does?', -'Yeah...helps him sleep', Mike blinked and scooted closer, watching the infant's relaxed face carefully, -'He's gonna have freckles, I just know', El chuckled -'Dad is gonna be SO mad when he finds out Levi is just a mini you', -'But more handsome. Those green eyes? Woo! Totally handsome huh?' He softly stroked the small amount of black hair at the very crown of his son's head, -'He has mamma's eyes, you know? Kind of green', Mike looked up at El. Her face unreadable. He nodded, -'Yeah, you have showed me pictures', the girl smiled, -'She's pretty...', -'Like you', a shy smile appeared on El's lips, -'Come here' he leaned in and kissed her deeply, -'I love you'.

END OF FLASHBACK

-THREE DAYS LATER-

Mike felt himself sinking into the same depression hw felt while El was gone. Except now El was right by his side. And his other half wasn't. His other half, that he had known since he was in its mother's belly. His other half that he had spent hours looking at the day he was born. His other half that he had spent endless nights trying to soothe. His other half that made him push himself to be better in every aspect of his life. His other half that had shown him what undying love felt like. His other half that was gone.

-'Mike...Mike, come on, it's time to go', El held his hand and Karen just stared at him. His face was much paler than usual. Almost transparent. His hair had lost its shine. His eyes were dark and lifeless, -'No' he moaned when his mother tried to move him, -'Mike come on, son', -'No...leave', -'Mike, the doctors are letting you go home. Come on', Karen grabbed a hold of his thin arm, -'And we have to get you to eat something baby...', -'I'm not hungry', Karen sighed desperately, -'Well you didn't wanted to be here anymore so, now we are allowed to leave! Just come on!', Hopper looked at the scene from afar. The kid wasn't gonna move. His sadness was like an anchor, weighing him down. He looked around the hallway and asked a nurse for a wheelchair.

He came back rolling it in, -'Get in' he commanded. Mike looked up. His eyes looked three times bigger because of lack of sleep, his eyelids were swollen and his lips slightly chapped. Hopper knew he wasn't gonna move. Now, Mike might be almost as tall as him but the kid was a feather compared to Hopper's huge bear frame, -'Come on', he scooped the teen up in one swift motion, the boy's 120 pounds being nothing compared to his brute strenght, -'In you go, so we can get the hell out of here', Mike didn't protest. Instead he laid his head against El's palm that was cupping his cheek seconds before.

He looked less alive than how he had come in.

As if his mind knew how much he missed his son, he started going through every single memory he had of him. Like a slow, cruel torture.


	9. Chapter 9

_**FLASHBACK**_

-'You're gonna do great, you've practiced a lot', El was telling Mike as he stretched, preparing himself to run some laps and win his school some merits.

The boy nodded and looked up at his girlfriend who was holding their half year old son in her arms, -'I'll win a medal for THIS little guy' he jumped to his feet and planted kisses all over the little boys' face, who giggled happily, -'Hey! Will I get a medal too?' El protested jokingly, -'I can win one for you too' he chuckled and kissed her deeply before taking Levi in his arms, -'I'm gonna ask the coach something and show him around ok? I'll bring him to you', El nodded and joined Max, Dustin, Will and Lucas on the bleachers.

-'Well hello there little lad!', Coach Diaz ruffled Levi's matt of black hair and chuckled, -'What's up Mike? Did you do your warming?', -'Yes sir, I was just wondering if it's better to run with maybe a sweatshirt, since it's a bit cold already or will it create too much resistance?', _'I thought you were the physics genius! With your legs the only way winter wear could slow you down is if you wore 100 thick bear skin coats and mittens to go with it. Don't worry', Mike nodded and rubbed his hands, -'It is freezing but when I start going it should get better', -'Alright then, the race starts in ten minutes. And hey, Wheels. Don't get intimidated by the other schools' guys. They're all buff and muscly and huge, your advantage is that you're light and you have long legs, remember, thats your forte. SPRINT. Don't just run. SPRINT and you'll be five steps ahead of them', -'Like a gazelle', -'You know it. Now return that little lad to his mum unless you wanna run with him on your shoulders'.

 _ **END OF FLASHBACK**_

Mike was looking absently at Hopper as he spoke, not really paying attention to his resport. If they had found his son, Hopper would be either over the moon because he was safe, or destroyed because he was dead. Mike gulped.

Dead.

His son couldn't be dead. He wouldn't be able to deal with such tremendous loss, even if it seemed like a plausible situation.

El listened to his father attentively, with tears prickling around her tear ducts.

 _ **K**_ aren laid a hand over her son's bony shoulder while Ted pretended he wasn't registering such terrible news.

El's hand slithered across the blanket to firmly grasp her boyfriend's. He was so affected he hadn't talked in the two days since they left the hospital. How was he supposed to function at school?.

-'...So we have nothing. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack. But Karen, Ted, El...Michael. I swear on my life and on everything I love, I will find him. This is affecting me as much as its affecting you', Joyce hadn't looked up once. Something about the Wheelers had always intimidated her even if she and Karen had been friends since middle school. Their money, and presence in society was impeccable and incomparable. Made Joyce feel like a little bug admist all this.

-'I was there with El when Levi was born you know? I held her hand, even if she was sedated. And I swear when I saw him, I had never seen anything so small and precious, and-', -'Stop' Mike spoke firmly, tears threatening to leave his eyes but his expression stern, -'Please stop. You're not making it easier'. Everyone turned to look at him. He hadn't slept in three days. He hadn't eaten a proper meal in a week. And it was showing. The young man was miserable.

-'Kid, I know you're angry but you gotta respect my wife okay? You fucking hear me?', -'Honestly Hop, I could give two shits. Right now ALL I CARE ABOUT! Is...is that MY son, HALF OF ME, is GOD KNOWS WHERE! And I don't know who he's with, dammit For no fucking reason at all' -'Don't yell at my dad, Mike come on', the boy rolled his eyes and let himself fall on the couch again, covering his lean body with blankets, -'Can You leave please, -'Honey we are just trying to help' Can you leave ' his tone was menacing. Hopper rememberd when Mike was nothing but a skinny, small boy who blushed and cried whenever someone said the wrong thing. Trauma had forged him away from that small boy.

Night time came. El was the only one staying by Mike's side. Down in the basement with her back resting against the couch. She decided she wanted to try going into the void again.

She gently grabbed Mike's hand that was dangling off the comfort of the sofa, trying to make the connection stronger and then held the pale green baby blanket.

Her surroundings went completely black. The echo of the silence deafening her somehow.

She heard a whimper. A weak one.

Levi was sitting on a doctor's check up table. A suited man approached him, and inyected something into his arm which made him scream. El frowned and tried not to hyperventilate. -'Whats that' she whispered, -'What the hell is that' she looked closer. A mark on his wrist. A series of numbers. A tattoo way too big for his extremely small arm.

 **012.**


	10. Chapter 10

El let out a blood curling scream, Mike woke up as if someone had shocked his heart with electricity, his lungs struggled to keep up with his rapid breathing, -'WHAT, WHAT'S WRONG' he yelled, -'WE HAVE TO FIND HIM MIKE WE HAVE TO FIND HIM' she hugged him so tight, her fingernails left marks on his back, -'He-he has my same mark, Mike...they're gonna keep him forever', -'No no no baby. We won't let them okay? We are gonna find him', El tried to calm herself down, -'You promise?', -'Yes, I promise. I will make sure of that'.

DAYS LATER

-'Mike?'. A knock. Silence. A knock.

-'Mike open up, it's Nancy'. El glanced at the clock. 6am. Then around her.

Mike's head was nestled against her warm chest, curled up into his Star Trek sheets. The girl lifted her pinky lazily and unlocked the door, letting Nancy in swiftly. She looked different. Long blonde hair around her sweet, gentle face.

-'Hey...' she entered slowly, -'I'm sorry I woke you guys up, I just got here',

El shook her head, -'It's okay. I don't sleep much these days',

Nancy looked down at her feet, -'I'm sorry, I don't know what to say',

-'You don't have to say anything',

the young woman nodded, -'How's he doing?' She motioned over at her little brother.

El glanced at Mike through the corner of her eye, -'Not well' she started caressing his abundant black hair, -'He's back into his depression...he gets angry a lot, he cries, he's losing hair...losing weight, losing appetite. Everything. It's just wrong',

Nancy sighed in dismay, -'I-I found this laying around. Every store in Hawkins has one, I think' she unfolded a flyer she had in her purse.

The picture of a baby boy with wide green eyes, a head full of black hair and faint freckles around his nose and cheeks stared back at her.

HAWKINS, INDIANA POLICE DEPARTMENT

KIDNAPPED

Levi Michael Wheeler.

1 year old.

21 pounds.

28cm tall.

Eyes: Green

Hair: Black

Skin: Freckled fair

Last seen wearing a striped shirt and soft navy blue pants.

REWARD OFFERED.

If seen, contact Hawkins Police Station.

El felt like the world was crushing her. It was real. Or, realer.

The young mom held Nancy's hand and dragged her out of Mike's bedroom.

They walked downstairs into the still quiet livinh room.

-'What' Nancy asked curiously.

-'Mike is dying Nancy. He-it's like he is not himself anymore. You wanna know how much weight he lost in a week? He lost ten pounds. He is living off supplementary drinks. That's all he wants. And this is the first night he has slept and that's because I gave him a sleeping pill...',

El's lip quivered when she saw Nancy's worried blue eyes staring right back, -'Nancy, I miss my baby, I miss my son...but I don't wanna lose Mike too' she was breaking, finally able to speak to somebody other than Mike and Hopper.

Nancy hugged El tight, trying not to cry herself, -'Oh come here...Everyone is thinking about him, El...everyone's looking for him. Hopper, mainly. You know how fierce he is',

El chuckled sadly, -'He promised with his life Nance...',

-'Means he's gonna resolve this. Trust him, and everything will be fine. I'll stay here for as long as you two need me', the girl nodded gently and took in Nancy's floral perfume. Calming lavender.

-'Tom, I swear I will reward you if you do this for me', -'Anything Hop, what's wrong?',

Hopper pulled a paper out of his jacket pocket and slid it in front of his friend.

The man read the paper and stared at the picture. -'This is my grandson. And he was kidnapped-', -'Woah woah woah...you have a grandson?',

Hop nodded and smiled unconsciously; memories of his times and adventures with the jolly little baby flashed before his eyes. A torture and solace.

-''Jane gave birth to a boy last year',

-'Wow! That's amazing! She's such a sweet girl, I-',

-'He's missing. Tom. The baby's missing',

-'Right, okay. So what do you want me to find out?',

-'We have turned Hawkins 360 degrees trying to find this kid. It's been almost two weeks. My son-in-law sank into depression again, El is a handful of nerves and I honestly don't know what to fucking do. I'm desperate, Thomas',

-'Have you considered the possibility that maybe...the child perished out on his own?', Hop took a sip of his drink,

-'Levi is one. He can barely stand properly, let alone walk. He was kidnapped, Thomas',

-'H-How...did anyone saw this happen?', -'Mike, El and the baby were gonna go to some strip mall after having breakfast, and...someone hit their car from behind, flung them against a fucking pine tree...and took the baby away from the wreck',

-'Maybe-maybe the baby got out on his own', the fact that Hopper couldn't just say ' _ **my telekinetic daughter saw my grandson in the void and she knows he is with the people that experimented on her for the first twelve years of her life and now they went after her son, in vain because he doesn't have any powers'.**_

-'Tell me how a one year old toddler unlatched his baby seat, opened a car door and walked out of a wreck...Thomas I am one hundred percent serious and desperate. I need to look into Chicago. Please', Thomas nodded -'Anything for you, friend...but what are we looking for?',

-'Suits.'

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

-'Are you gonna be okay alone with him?' El asked while putting on her earrings, -'Yeah, and Joyce is coming', -'AND Dustin and Lucas' Will yelled from the kitchen, -'Listen kid I doubt your friends would like to help me taking care of the baby', -'You never know' Mike said with a grin, -'Like I would let them in the first place'.

-'Okay big boy, you're gonna be okay with Pa and Mamam, right?', Mike liked giving his son little ridiculous pep talks as if he could understand what he was saying.

-'He's 7 months old Wheeler he doesn't know what you're saying', -'Just let me talk, these work...You'll be good right? I know you will...don't make your Pa go too crazy okay? Be easy on him, he's an old man-',

-'Hey! What's with this blackmailing?', Mike chuckled and cuddled his son close, he smelled like lavender and his pj's were soft against his skin, then rubbing his freckled nose against Levi's own.

-'It's just a few hours, I know you'd much rather be with me than with that grumpy bear', El chuckled from inside her bedroom, -'They're killing you, dad!',

-'Nobody's killing me, also, are you ready El?', -'She's been ready for like an hour' Will rolled his eyes,

-'Shut up William, my hair is a mess', -'Imm about to braid your whole head so you never have to worry about it again',

-'Okay okay! I'm ready!', -'It's just a date night with Mike, nothing special', Mike raised his eyebrows,

-'Only our first date night since the baby was born!',

-'Mhmm, still with you, nothing special' Hopper ruffled the young man's hair affectively, ignoring his protests.

-'Okay! Time to go...goodnight sweet baby, be good' Mike held Levi up and examined him. It was like every time he looked at him he was falling inlove all over again. And Hopper could see that from a mile away. He was giving his son what his father never gave him. A sense of safety, belonging and unconditional love.

-'Are you done smothering my son with kisses' El raised an eyebrow and flattened the short skirt of her dress, -'Why yes, now it's your turn'.

Seeing Mike and El interact with Levi was so...sweet. It could make Hopper feel emotional sometimes.

-'Alright alright kids, you go on your date and handsome boy and I will watch some movies', -'And you're gonna change his diaper and feed him, right?', El grabbed her purse and approached her dad, -'Will is the diaper man', -'I AM' he answered from his room, -'Okay, then you're the food source!', -'That I am...we'll be okay. Enjoy your movie and dinner, kids. Hey, lamp post, watch the road okay?', Mike scoffed, -'Stop calling me lamp post!', -'Stop growing then'.

 _ **END OF FLASHBACK**_


	11. Chapter 11

Ted Wheeler stared absently out the window.

Nancy glanced at him every once in a while.

-'Dad?' She finally called,

-'Huh?',

-'What are you thinking about',

-'Nothing just...this thing with the baby, and now Mike is sick too..got me thinking. Stuff. I guess',

-'It's okay if you don't know how to feel, dad',

Ted nodded, -'I'm just worrying all the time...it's hard to work sometimes. Like...there's a void of feelings',

Nancy hugged her dad. He wasn't a hugging person, but it seemed like he needed one.

-'The circumstances are not ideal but...we have to stick together, now more than ever before okay' the blue eyed woman looks up at her father and tries to flash him a smile.

-'Absolutely...it's just been hard without...the baby here, I guess...it's like problems fade when he's around'

Problems. Problems with Karen and Ted were not uncommon. They had thought about divorce but figured it wasn't gonna be the best option, especially now with Mike having to face fatherhood at such a young age.

And Levi did brought a different energy to the tension-filled Wheeler house.

Whether he fell asleep while Ted read him a book (History books and politics magazines to a baby, of course), or clumsily crawled around Karen's legs while she cooked ('I don't wanna have to scold you, young man!') it was like the infant tinged with life everything he touched or encountered.

-'We enter school on Monday' El whispered, Mike groaned as if he was in pain, -'I can't believe your dad is making us go', -'We have to pretend...pretend a lot, Mike', -'I'm not gonna make it through the first day...I can barely get out of bed', El sighed deeply, -'I know babe...I wish I could help', -'You're doing enough. Come here'.

MONDAY

The principal stared at Michael Wheeler and Jane Hopper who sat in front of him in his office.

The young man looked even thinner than he normally was, if that was even possible. His big brown eyes always lively, now looked dead. His mop of abundant black hair had clearly been falling off, and the veins under his skin popped like a sore thumb. The girl didn't looked much better. Her honey glazed irises were dull, she looked like she hadn't slept in days, her demure was shy, less defiant, less extroverted than how he had seen her for the last time.

-'I know about-uhmm...obviously everyone knows. Your teachers, coordinators, coaches...they know about your son and I've asked them not to be alarmed if you presented certain behaviours',

-'I understand, Mr. Walker, the teachers don't concern me', El spoke loud and clear, -'But If we get teased because of this family situation, I won't hesitate on acting. This isn't a laughing matter', -'And I understand completely, but if someone teases you I advice you to-',

-'I will take matters in my own hands. Come on, Mike, we have bio'.

When Mike and El entered the classroom five minutes late, a bunch of eyes glanced at them. A few girls stood up and hugged El in support, -'I'm so sorry', -'We are all thinking about you', -'I hope this all gets resolved soon', -'If you need us, we are here', in the meantime, Mike dragged himself into a chair and looked to his right.

Dustin sat there, staring at him with sad eyes. Sad eyes he had never seen on the always-smiling friend.

-'Mike' he whispered, touching his friend's arm, -'Hey' he barely managed to mutter back, -'I am here for you Mike. You know that? I love you guys' he laid a strong hand on his shoulder, and frowned, -'When was the last time you ate?', -'Not this now, Dustin. Ok', the curly haired boy realized just how big Mike's clothes looked around his body. Before he could ask any further, the teacher cleared her throat and El sat beside her boyfriend. She wrapped his arm around his shoulder, -'Hey, you okay? Are you gonna be okay?' Mike nodded lazily, looking up at the teacher's pitiful glance, -'I'll write down the notes, you don't have to worry', Mike chuckled sarcastically, -'Oh I'm not worrying', El kissed his head, -'I love you', -'I love you too'.

During lunch break, the pair took a look around the school. In every other corner, the picture of their smiley boy stared coldly back at them. Like a reminder of the tragedy.

They received sad glances, pats in the shoulder, a few -'We are here for you' and -'It's gonna be ok'. They took each and every one of them with a small, sad smile.

By the middle of lunch time, Mike had to seat on the floor, too weak to walk, -'Mike come on, I can't-', El started sobbing, -'I can't hold you', -'If I walk anymore I'm gonna faint', -'Come on, lets go to Miss Klein, ok? She'll make you better'.

-'105', the nurse frowned at the balance. -'One zero five...how tall are you Wheeler', -'Six feet, two inches', the nurse almost fainted herself, -'You need to eat something...right now' Miss Klein glanced back at El, -'Bring him jello, apple sauce, mashed potatoes, anything soft that he can keep down withiut his stomach going into shock', Mike felt so exhausted he barely protested, El nodded energetically, -'I'll be right back'.

It was a miserable scene. Almost unbelievable that this was happening in Hawkins. It was depressing to see the fastest guy in the track team, the guy with the second highest marks in his class, the lovable nerd and his girlfriend, the caring, sweet, pretty girl with the weird ability of being able to learn exactly what the history books said. Both completely depressed. She was trying to get him to eat something.

They received some glances, but nothing menacing, more like comfort.

-'You like applesauce, come on', El was sounding desperate now, like she was seeing her Mike slowly drift away into a black hole she couldn't pull him out from.

The party had decided to give them some space, but among them wasn't any better.

Will stared at his food. It was his favorite (mac n cheese and fried mozzarella sticks) but he couldn't imagine just ignoring the situation with his nephew.

Hw remembers the day he met Levi.

It was a Thursday and they were in the middle of geography class when the principal came to get Mike from class. His face had lit up, but the party looked kind of confused, -'Where are you going?', Max had asked, -'I think they did let me go to the hospital with El, I'll call you!', a few "Aww cute!" "Send her my regards!" "Go, dad' could be heard from a few units in the classroom.

Will remembered. Few hours later, he was looking into a plastic incubator, seemingly to protect the small baby from bacterias his premature body couldn't handle, -'He's adorable. Like a toy person', Mike frowned and then chuckled, -'Way to word that, William', he patted his back endearingly.

Now it was just despair. It was just his mom not being able to sleep and being beside the home phone every time she could. It was Hopper being paranoid, and irritable. It was his best friend sinking into a dangerous depression that had left him empty of feeling and starving of actual physical nurture. It was his sister being a handful of nerves, jumpy and permanently angry. Everyone was on edge. And Will knew he had to do something to save this sinking ship.

He thrned his head around when he heard Troy Harrington's annoying voice.

"Maybe it's for the best, maybe that baby is getting better cared for than what those nerds could ever do for him, like for crying out loud, they're fucking teenagers and the mom is a fucking freak! They're acting all sad and Shit I'm sure rhey're relieved they don't have to care for a child anymore...who knows, maybe that frog face freak and his little girlfriend killed him and-',

Will grabbed a cafeteria tray and slammed it into Troy's face.

El almost jumped out of her seat, -'WILL, WHAT-', -'GODDDD FUCK YOU, FUCKING FAGGOT ASS LITTLE CUNT' the boy's nose was bleeding, and he had a huge red mark on his face. Lucas couldn't help but chuckle.

-'YOU FUCKING FAGGOT DICK EATING FAIRY IM GONNA KILL YOU', El frowned at the homophobic slurs and decided to intervene. She threw one of the spoons she was using, at Troy, -'Don't call him that' she said, nicely this time. She was trying not to get into trouble on her first day of senior year.

Half of the cafeteria hamging at their every word.

-'I'LL CALL HIM WHATEVER I WANT YOU WEIRDO. ARENT YOU BUSY MOPING AROUND AND CRYING OVER A BABY YOU NEVER LOVED?! OVER AN ACCIDENT? AND NOW LOOK YOU HAVE TO PICK YOUR NERD ASS BOYFRIEND OFF THE FLOOR BECAUSE HES TOO SAD TO EAT FOR HIMSELF', El's expression had changed from 'trying to be nice' to 'I'm about to stab you', -'Take that back Troy', -'No...', -'TAKE IT BACK!', -'NO! I ONLY TOLD THE TRUTH ABOUT YOU AND YOUR BASTAR-', -'YOU BETTER NOT FINISH THAT SENTENCE YOU MORONIC BEAST OR I SWEAR TO GOD I'M GONNA BREAK YOUR FUCKING ARM AGAIN'. Troy took a step back.

He, of course, walked right into Mike's fist.

El hadn't even noticed he had stood up.

The boy dramatically fell on the floor holding his face. Mike stepped on his forearm and pressed, -'If you ever...EVER. Fucking talk about my family or my son again, I swear on everything you love I'm gonna murder you. DO YOU UNDERSTAND YOU FUCKING STUPID ANIMAL?! DO YOU THINK IM FUCKING JOKING?!', at this point Mike had started crying of anger and sadness. He spat on Troy's face 'And don't fucking scream at my girlfriend OR my friend'.

El was hysterical. She was crying and screaming explanations at her dad about why she was at the principal's office for misconduct on the first day of senior year along with her brother and her boyfriend.

-'B-But d-dad PLEASE tell them, PLEASE. I told them I wasn't gonna hold back and-and the first thing I hear during lunch is this-this fucking MORON talking about my f-f-family and-', -'Jane you don't have to explain anything to me, baby' Hopper hugged her tight and kissed her head, -'I'll talk to the principal...just wait here', -'I'll go in with you'.

Hopper opened the glass door to the principal's office and found Mike barely able to defend himself through the tears, while Will didn't unglued his glare from the floor, -'And I fucking spit on him because he's a scum of earth and-', -'You don't have to keep talking, Michael', -'N-No! I do! Because if I don't, you're gonna put me into detention after school and-and-', he noticed El standing a few feet away, -'And I won't b-be able to help l-look for my son in the evenings, oh El...' he hugged her tightly and desperately, thick tears falling into her jacket.

Principal Walker looked up, absolutely mortified, and met Hopper's gaze.

-'You shouldn't be in detention, you should be sent to a psychiatrist',

Will gripped the arms of the chair tightly, and frowned, -'Is that all you have to say? Are you not gonna punish-'

-'Careful, Byers. If I'm not confused, you threw a food tray at his face'

-'I'd gladly throw a few more if it means he will stop teasing me, my friend and my sister about a serious family matter!'.

Hopper stroked Mike's back, -'Come on, up. We're going home. All of us...get up, kid',

Mike shook his head and El sighed deeply,

-'Hey Will, help me get him into dad's car'

-'Okay, come on man'

-'You guys take him in. Open the car, lay him down in the backseat, I'll be right there' Hopper sighed deeply and closed the door behind the three friends. A bit too hard. He was angry. Angrier now because of this.

-'You know, Walker...'

-'Hey Chief, I'm just doing what's dictated-'

-'YOU KNOW. Walker. Mike's lucky he could even stand up this morning to come to this god damn school for his first day? You know he can only sleep when we drug him because if we don't, he'll be prone to hurting himself and never rest? You know he almost fainted today, in your fucking halls, because he hasn't eaten real food in two weeks? Of course you don't. And you don't know he was depressed two years ago, and you can't tell he's depressed now because HIS SON IS MISSING. RIGHT?! So I'd advice you to leave them the hell alone, and be mindful for once. Be considerate!

And my step-son, the one you call a sharp mouth, deals with daily bullying from that little excuse of a man you protect so much. DAILY! And he never does anything about it because he's a good boy, but today, that Troy kid really stepped over the line'

-'Your daughter was an active perpetrator, Jim and-'

-'She cursed him out because he was mocking her son. She did the right fucking thing, I thought you'd be supportive dammit!'

-'I'm trying to be, JAMES!'

-'Y-You know what? You won't have Michael or Jane here until this is resolved. They can't be in here surrounded by people who donmt care about their wellbeing'.

Jim was livid when he went into the car.

Will was looking into the backseat where El and Mike where.

Mike had his head laying on El's lap, he looked battered and exhausted,

-'I think he passed out dad but I'm not sure. We should just take him home, he's not okay'

El was crying herself, she was so worried about everything it was like a constant sense of being chased. Not ever resting.

Karen Wheeler opened the front door to the four people before her.

She helped lay her son on the couch while tryung to nurse him back to alert consciousness.

Hopper called Joyce to explain the situation with Will but at this point, school was the least of his worries. Fuck school. Time was running out. He knew Thomas had tabs on his case, he knew his friend was working on it day and night. But day and night almost wasn't enough for the chief of Police. He knew from when he was a big city cop, that the difference an hour could make was between life and death. Like when they found an elderly person dead of hypothermia and learning he could've lived if collected an hour before.

But this wasn't an elderly wandering citizen. This was his one year old grandson. Kidnapped. A baby boy who needed constant special cares following his premature birth. A sweet beacon of light with no powers like his mother's to protect him from even a wild animal. Jesus fuck, animals. If Levi had been left in the woods somehow, he was an easy prey. Jim tried not to think about it, almost afraid El could somehow read his mind and see the terrible scene he was seeing.


	12. Chapter 12

-'You'll be fine, baby' Karen laid a couple of blankets on Mike who was shaking like a leaf even though it wasn't that cold.

He was a handful of nerves and overstimulation. El was sitting on the floor beside the couch, holding his hand which he had on a death grip.

-'Can you bring him some tea? Maybe chamo tea with one sugar', El looked up at Karen with swollen, pleading eyes to which the woman complied; El glanced down again and noticed her hand was getting purple,

-'Mike, let go for a bit' she sighed, stroking his hair, the young man refused,

-'Come on babe, let go',

-'I-I don't wanna lose you too' he was so afraid he was stuttering and his voice was breaking, El pulled himself from his grip and held his face,

-'You will not lose me, Michael. Do you hear me?...Have you slept at all?', Mike sighed in defeat and shook his head,

-'Y-You have to sleep baby, you know how it goes' she took the cup from Karen's hands,

-'Here, have your tea, it's your favorite and it helps you relax'.

Karen sat beside her son and let El go talk to her own father this time.

El looked drained. Physically and emotionally. She wasn't as destroyed as Mike, she hadn't developed a debilitating depression or lack of appetite but the emotional burden was showing. These had been the most intense two weeks of her life. Tension was at all time high. She knew time was running out.

-'Dad' she hugged Hopper as tight as her thin body could allow, -'I'm tired' she whispered while tears fell from her face.

-'I know baby, I know. I'm doing every thing I can' he stroked her head of curls back and Will joined the hug.

-'But listen Jane' Hopper held her face and examined it. Dry mascara stains down her cheeks, eyebrows pulled together and lower lip trembling,

-'I...I have to tell you...I have my friend Tom looking into this case...elsewhere', -'Elsewhere? Where is he', -'Chicago. Told him to look for suits. I think that Hawkins lab may have moved...and is operating somewhere else. I'm not sure but that's what we're trying to figure out'.

El took a deep breath, as if preparing herself for a storm.

-'I could help find, but I'm afraid I'm not strong enough right now' she finally broke into tears. She was a human radar but couldnmt find her son because she was in emotional distress and not strong enough.

-'Oh, Jane...come here...are you sure about that?'

-'Yeah, I'm just...like just taking care of Mike and making sure he doesn't do anything dumb is just...draining for me',

-'...Do you think if you rest you can find him?'

El gulped and hesitated for a second before nodding,

-'Okay, that'll do...you have to sleep baby, deal?'

El whined and started crying,

-'I see him in my dreams dad, it's like a torture'

Hopper sighed deeply and tried not to break down in tears,

-'I get flashbacks too El. He's only been gone for two weeks but-'

-'Not gone. Missing'.

-'Yeah. Not gone. You're right'.

-'I'm scared, Joyce' Hopper held the mug between his hands with force.

-'I know. I am too',

-'What if-what if when we find him and it's too late? You can't expect me to just kneel beside his little body and just-'

-'Jim...JIM. Listen to me...I'm not gonna lie to you' Joyce held his face, -'But that-that is a possibility, -'How do you think I would feel if I had to see the boy I watched being born, get buried...get a burial huh? A tiny coffin?'

-'Stop saying that for Christ sake'

-'Its plausible'

-'Mike would kill himself, I'm sure of it'

Joyce froze...her hands held the edge of the table, hard.

-'He's not in good shape is he'

-'No Joyce. Boy is barely functional. He just...cries and goes through panic attacks and is still refusing to eat'

Joyce sighed deeply and held her husband's trembling hands,

-'El...we talked, just now, before she fell asleep'

-'What did you talk about'

-'Memories. I figured if she had good memories she would, I don't know...have good dreams'

 _El sat beside Joyce on her bed. The warm room littered with posters, polaroids, framed pictures, lamps...and a white crib in the corner. Pale pink sheets, because everyone betted Levi was gonna be a girl. And they never changed anything about it._

 _-'It's funny how some people, like classmates, come in here and just frown at all his pink stuff and I have to explain', Joyce chuckled at her adoptive daughter -'Yeah. So, I-I brought you something. So you can have good memories when you sleep',_

 _El took a deep breath and forced a smile,_

 _-'I'm sorry I'm just trying not to think about how bad Mike is doing'_

 _-'No no sweetie, it's okay to be worried. But he's with his mom now and you have to rest. You've done enough and he knows it'_

 _-'Youre right. Whats that'_

 _-'This iiiiiis Levi's baby album, remember we were making it as the weeks went by?'_

 _El nodded softly,_

 _-'He's cute...pretty'_

 _-'The cutest in the whole world huh? You got that right'_

 _-'Mamma's eyes...'_

 _-'...Yeah, mamma's eyes...look at this one'_

 _Mike Wheeler's huge, beaming smile jumped off the pages of the photo album. He was happy._

 _A gold medal hung from his neck. First place in the individual inter-school track race. his bushy black hair was held back a bit by one of El's hair-clips. A bright green plastic dragonfly._

 _In his arms, an ebony-haired baby with freckles and huge green eyes made a grab for the medal, possibly to stick it in his mouth._

 _-'Perfect' El whispered with tears prickling her tearducts, -'I took that one' she pointed proudly at the portrait,_

 _-'I know...You asked Jonathan for his cam and he was all freaking out about it'_

 _El nodded, remembering the moment._

 _The next picture was in a hospital room._

 _Mike was seen asleep on a couch in the background, El was sitting in front of Will on a bed, laughing at probably her brother's stupid jokes, and Karen was marvelling over little Levi_

 _who was asleep inside a plastic incubator._

 _-'Holy shit that was last year!'_

 _-'Yeah I think Dustin took that one. Your dad and I were working'_

 _-'Working?''_

 _-'Yeah, Hop was so angry when he got called into the station'_

 _-'I don't remember that, wow'_

 _-'That's what happens when you're topped up on painkillers, hardly remember a thing'_

 _The next one made El break into tears. Like sudden, desperate tears._

 _Mike was teaching the little boy how to play with a Rubik's cube while El observed them looking pretty amused._

 _-'I miss him Ma...I miss both of them, I've lost everything'_

 _-'All is not lost, El. We just have to find him. That's all'_

-'She's asleep' Joyce reassured Hopper whose shaky voice gave up his cover

-'She has to find him Joyce. Otherwise I think I'll take too long. Be too late...and I can't be too late Joyce, you can't ask me to just take my time and risk finding my-my grandson just dead. A baby, just dead. I won't do that'

-'You won't. Nobody will...come here', Joyce held the man in her arms as best as she could, -'We're gonna find him babe. On time. I promise'.

-'See? This is what happens when you don't eat, son'

Ted Wheeler was frustrated. Mike refused to eat but gastritis told him otherwise.

-'Come on, don't hurt yourself because you're too stubborn'

-'I'm NOT stubborn!' He managed to snap back at his father,

-'Then I don't know what to tell you son-'

-'Dad, I'll take care of it...you go...relax or something' Nancy came in Mike's room with a bowl of potato soup

-'How are you loser?' Nancy asked with a little grin

-'I feel like someone is stabbing me from the inside out...and then pouring gasoline on the wound and lighting a match on it'

He was in literal agony but in such a depressed state he couldn't even show it

-'Okay, sit up...this is your favorite soup, remember? Disgusting potato soup'

-'I'm not a baby Nancy',

-'No you're not, but youre sick. And if you dont eat, you'll be in the hospital again with a stomach burn do you want that?', -'No', -'That's what I thought. Now come on'.

-'I need Mike. To find him, I need Mike to find Levi', she muttered, while waking up from her slumber.

-'Since when do you need him?' Hopper raised an eyebrow,

-'Levi is half and half. Half me and half Mike...I think maybe if we are together...I can find him easier, get a better and more precise location',

Hopper nodded. It made sense. -'Okay, we should call him up then'.

Mike could barely gather energy to get uo, walk to the car and withstand the trip to the Byers Hopper house. Of course, the Wheeler kids went under the excuse that Mike wanted to be with El in this hard moment, and Karen had understood completely. Much easier than saying: Hey mom, I'm gonna go over to my telekinetic girlfriend's house to see if we can find our son with her human radar powers.

Much easier.

-'Hey' Mike breathed El's scent in. A vanilla candle, with a touch of flowers.

-'Hi sweets' -she hugged him as tight as she could, ignoring his winces and grunts, -'I missed you' he whispered gently, -'I missed you too...I just had to rest for a few days...get some energy on me', -'Rest from me huh?', -'No no baby. Not from you...I just needed some me time, just for a little second', Mike nodded understandingly

-'Yeah I get it...I'm here now, what's the plan'

-'I-I think I can locate Levi now...I feel strong enough. And I think being with you makes my search more successful...somehow',

-'Okay sure whatever helps you...but I'm not a psychic...I can't-',

-'I know. I just need you, your hands. You energy, I don't know how to explain it'

-'Just my presence is fine. I get it'

El nodded and looked around her. She wasn't alone in a hospital room this time. Hopper, Will and Joyce were there. And of course, Mike was aware of what was happening this time.

She was under so much stress already, her head was pounding, -'Fuck' she mumbled under her breath, -'Okay, come here' she held Mike's hands. Tight. Will put a black sock over her eyes and waited for the sensory deprivation technique to work.

Cold. And wet. But not.

It was as if she existed elsewhere from these sensations. Every single sound produced an echo. It was like a dark cave, where she could see everything despite its darkness.

She looked around for any source of sound or a glimpse of something.

A hallway, apparently. Like those at a hospital's with glass windows and secret doors. This hospital had no ACTUAL windows...

"Underground" she whispered, as a small trickle of blood began staining her nostril.

Hopper froze. Of course. Underground was the perfect place to hide.

Mike felt the grip of El's hand tighten around his.

The buzzing of actual people was like static around her. She could feel the energy but no see the beings transmitting it.

Then she heard a steady beeping. Like those in heart rate monitors. She walked towards the sound and the machine quickly materialised before her. The horrid sound of oxygen support masks and devices rang in her ears.

Connected to them, was a small baby laying helplessly on a bed.

"Levi" she teared up.

Blood was staining her upped lip now.

Mike perked up for the first time in two weeks. His big, tired eyes looking even bigger. He wanted to say something, but couldn't mutter a word.

The baby was not in a good condition. El knew exactly what was wrong with him. But that wasn't all...

His head was shaved. There wasn't a single trail of hair. And he had marks on his temples.

El almost died right there. They were really doing hardcore experiments on him, and he was helpless because he was normal. El started crying, and went to him quickly. He looked exactly the way he did when he got sick... **that night.**

That night a few months ago where El thought her son was gonna die in her arms on the way to the E.R. She had woken up in the middle of the night to the sound of a faint wheezing. When she checked on the baby, she realised he was barely breathing. Never in her life had she jumped into action so quickly. She even started Hop's car from the inside, swinging open ever single door in the house and waking up its occupants. The only thing Hopper needed to know about the fucking scandal, came from El's lips "He's dying" she had sobbed. And it was enough for him.

The doctors told El and Mike that the breathing problems would persist because they were a consequence of his premature birth, and he would have to be in treatment for it.

And now...her son had gotten sick away from her and he was technically on life support.

She knew that if she touched anything, her vision would go out in a puff of smoke. She tiptoed around the bed and examined him. Yep, completely bald, and in his delicate forearm, an identification tattoo. Like hers.

"Twelve" she said out loud.


	13. Chapter 13

Her nose was running blood so much it was dripping into her mouth and down her chin.

Mike felt himself tense even more

T-Twelve? What do you MEAN twelve?'

Hopper shushed him, -'Not now' he mouthed.

El didn't wanted to rip her gaze from Levi, as if he was gonna go away if she did. But she had to know where they were.

She closed her eyes and sat on the ground, putting both hands along the stream of invisible water...

-'Hawkins' she whispered, she couldn't believe it. Levi was in Hawkins. In an underground facility. They had to act NOW.

El kneeled beside the bed that held her son, -'I'm coming for you, okay? And then you'll be safe and sound with me...I promise'.

El's shaky hands removed the sock off her eyes. She tasted a metallic substance in her mouth. The smell of blood was nauseating. She found Mike's worried stare pasted on her.

Of course. She was bleeding a lot. This had taken a toll on her. But she didn't faint, or even showed signs of decompensation. Her voice, though, came out like a cracked whimper

"Almost gone".

Mike's eyes immediately filled with tears, for what seemed like the thousandth time in two weeks.

-'W-What do you mean almost gone, El?'

She had a hard time forming words at this point

-'Do you-Do you remember, back at the beginning of summer when he-he got sick...like very very sick and-and I thought he was gonna die'

Mike nodded and realised then, -'Is he sick again?', El just nodded,

-'But the people that have him...they're not...they don't know what's wrong with him, s-so he can't get the help he needs'

-'They're just keeping him alive so they can experiment more on him' Hopper announced, convinced that was the truth. El looked up at her father and nodded, -'We have to find him...now'.

As Hopper tried to figure out their next move, El sat on the kitchen table to think.

-'I'm gonna kill each and every single living thing that gets in my way...I swear on the life of everyone I love' she whispered, almost anticipating the moment she could do something to save her son. Mike took her hand, -'El there's other ways-'

-'Other **ways?!** Other ways Mike? What are you gonna do...call the police and expose all of this? Expose ME? There isn't another way...and you know what? Everyone in that fucking lab knows what's going on. I was the reason Hawkins lab was still there. And now Levi is the reason why this-this place still exists...I just can't let them escape...S-So they just kidnap my child, the person I gave LIFE to, and I just, what, show them mercy and let them go?' She wiped away some tears, -'No. no mercy. No mercy to the people who made us have the accident, no mercy to the people who-who TOOK him, no mercy to the people who keep experimenting on my son...This has to end, and god dammit I am gonna fucking kill anybody that gets between me and MY SON. Do you understand?!'; Mike nodded and managed to let out a whimper, -'Let go of the knives though' he pointed at a whole set of kitchen knives floating in mid air.

Hopper laid out a map of Hawkins in front of El.

-'Jane, I need you to think...where is the bunker', he tried not to press too much but the urgency in his voice was palpable.

-'I think within a mile radius of the main lab...but very well hidden, it could take a few days to find it', her eyes glistened with new tears. She was desperate.

-'Okay, we don't have a few days...right?', El nodded, -'He's sick, dad...he needs treatment, or he-he's gonna-',

-'He won't. El. He won't. Okay, so we can't call the police, or for backup in my case. It will only draw unwanted attention'

-'Maybe if we start looking now..'

-'Yeah and what happens when we find it?' Hoppr raised an eyebrow.

-'There's only one way in and one way out...that's easy to do' El nodded to herself as if to apease any concerns, -'I'm gonna need your back up, dad. But you're gonna have to get the bulletproof vest' her eyes fixed into Hop's grey ones, -'They're gonna try to kill us. No doubt. Including me' she heard Mike leave the table and gasp for air elsewhere, Will softly comforting him. El closed her eyes and tried to ignore his sounds.

-'So they're gonna try to kill us dad, I can stop bullets but we have to have a plan B. And that's you'

Hopper nodded. He wasn't scared of guns. He had been in numerous shoot outs when he was a cop in NYC. He jjst wanted to get through and rescue his grandson.

-'So you're wearing a vest too-',

-'I don't need it'

-'Jane, you are. I won't lose my little girl to a bullet. And Levi is not gonna lose his mother to a bullet. Are we clear'

El nodded and looked over at Mike,

-'You're gonna stay, Mike',

-'Wha?! Are you SERIOUS? I'm fucking going!'

-'It's too dangerous! Are you not hearing what I'm saying?!'

Hopper looked at the couple bickering and thought for a second...

-'I may need a driver. If I get hurt, I'm gonna need someone to drive'

-'I can drive dad come on!'

-'No, you'll have to take care of the baby when we take him out of there, Mike can drive'

El shot her father a glare and sighed reluctanctly,

-'FINE. I just didn't wanna put more people in danger'

-'He's my son, El. I'd give my life for him. And for you'.

-'Are you not gonna call the rest of your little shit friends to let them know what you're doing' Hopper asked while examining a bulletproof vest in the light,

-'Mike told them...they'll be there if we need them. Always alert'

-'Good kids. But stupid. That's a dumb idea, they could get hurt'

El nodded and rubbed her eyes, -'Yeah I guess'

-'You tired?'

El chuckled sadly and nodded, -'Yeah. Sleepless nights again huh? Remember when Levi first got home? It was terrible'

-'You don't have to remind me' Hopper winced, 'still adore him though. As if he was my blood...' he added.

-'I know dad...' El put a soft hand on his shoulder and patted his back, -'It's gonna be okay. I tell myself that every day. Even if there's a chance that it isn't gonna be okay'

-'I'll be there. Through everything and anything...I'll be your human shield while you're out there El, there's no other way'

-'No chance. You can't-'

-'This is not up for discussion, Jane' his voice was stern. Not a hint of fear in it. He was willing to sacrifice himself if it was necessary.

-'If they get me, and there's nothing you can do for me, just run. Run to safety...do you promise?' He grabbed her face, tears were running down her cheeks, -'I promise dad' she whispered, then letting him kiss her forehead,

-'That's my girl'.

-'I'm going with you guys, too' Will whispered sombrely.

El looked up from her hands and frowned, -'Will, you can't-'

-'I wanna be plan C' he said firmly

Joyce's eyes went huge and started shaking her head, -'No, no way, you stay HERE okay?!'

-'Mom, I want to help! We are family mom...we have to be there for each other. I'm gonna go look for Levi with them, please'

Hopper sighed deeply,

-'You stay with Mike in the car'

He nodded and held his friend's hand, -'We are on the bench again, huh?'

-'As long as being in the bench is helping, then I like the bench'.

Max held El's hand and looked at her attentively, -'Are you nervous?'

El nodded sincerely without a second thought. Not just nervous. She was terrified. Terrified about putting her life on the line, terrified that she could be too late...but she had to do this.

-'Yeah I am...we are gonna start the search party tonight, are you going with Lucas?'

-'Yeah but, what search party, can you explain-'

-'The lab facilities are underground in the woods. And Levi is in there, I saw him. But he's sick, Max'

-'H-How sick? Is he like, dying?'

-'He's like...a few months ago, when he went into the hospital, remember?' She saw the redhead nod, -'So when that happened, the doctors told us he was technically gonna be unwell for the rest of his life. It's a thing he has. And Mike and I always took very good care of him and everything, and now he-he just...like this was my worst nightmare. He's sick without us there to help him...the people at the lab where I was, were not doctors. They didn't have advanced knowledge in health things...I know that first hand'.

El remembered vividly.

The people in the lab were not person doctors. They were biologists, physicists, mathematicians, linguists...there was a neurologist but he got killed off after he suggested El's usage of her powers could cause her brain damage and should be taken to a real hospital.

Everyone in that place lived off the thrill that a human could lift things with their mind.

Now Levi was sick in there and El was sure the lab didn't have a pediatric neumologist in hand.

Max just tried to process all this information. Through their three years of friendship, Max and El have had ups and downs. Partly because El has a very strong personality even if her demeanour doesn't show it (certainly her clothes communicate a lot. She still likes the punk make up and straight hair), and Max is very sarcastic so they had clashed every once in a while. But this time, they had to leave their differences aside and help a common cause.

-'I'll be with Lucas, searching...we can split up in teams, maybe?',

-'Yeah that was the plan...it's just weird searching for...the thing I hate the most in this world. Hawkins Lab and its people, you know? It's weird searching for it again because they took the person I love the most. The person I'd give my life for',

Max didn't know the feeling, but she could imagine.

-'I see you got your punk vibes back' Mike tried to be more light and less depressed.

-'Yeah...you know how I like my eyeshadow and jacket'

-'Mhmm...come here, I wanna talk to you'

El frowned, he hasn't sat with her like this in a while. She sat on his lap and locked her arms behind his neck,

-'What'

Mike struggled to find words.

-'If it comes up to it...I'll be your human shield'

El let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

-'Mike, Mike come o-'

-'You need your dad. He's strong, he knows guns, he knows strategy and how to get you two to safety first. But El...if I see you two in peril, don't ask me to sit in a car and wait for a miracle because I won't do that-'

-'Mike' she held his face. His beautiful face.

-'No, Jane...you don't understand. I swore on my life to protect you and Levi. If I have to die for you guys to escape and be safe...I don't even have to think it twice'

-'Y-You're not gonna die, stop saying that' she was in tears at the thought of losing her Mike, -'We-We are a family. A small one, and an unconventional one, as you said. But we have to be together, s-so stop talking about dying'

-'I'm just saying that El, because I want you to know what I'm willing to do to keep you safe'.

Hopper looked at his daughter with a stranged face as she walked out of her bedroom alone. She seemed troubled, a bit confused and very disturbed.

-'What...what happened? What did you two talked about?' He frowned.

El sighed deeply and tried not to look at her father in the eye,

-'Just...keep him away from razors until this is over. And make sure Karen checks if he's taking his medication'.

His blood ran cold. Was Mike suicidal again? Was he thinking about self harming like the time El went missing for a year? The young man had definitely sank into a deep depression. As if he wasn't succeptible enough with traces of PTSD manifesting after 1983.

At this rate though, and in this situation, Mike was more likely to starve himself to death than end it with a razor. Depression had fallen on him like an old black cloud, always looming, never really completely covering. Until now. The boy was miserable and a god damn mess with his family all broken up. The sheer fear of losing El as well made him stay up at nights, made his brain ignore his stomach's violent demands for SOMETHING, made everything feel extremely difficult to do.

Hopper remembers...

That time a few months ago that Levi got so sick everyone thought he wouldn't make it (even doctors).

He had seen the extent of Mike's sadness and paranoia. After having lost El for a year, and now on the possible verge of losing his son to an illness nobody understood, the young man was going into overdrive. His fight or flight reflections at an all time high, like if he closed his eyes, Levi would just die like that.

When the little baby came out of the woods though, Mike shifted from being a good dad to a stellar one. Seriously, Hopper had never seen someone so dedicated to another person.


	14. Chapter 14

FLASHBACK

-'If you walk to me I'm gonna give you a cookie' Mike flashed his son a huge smile,

El frowned from her sitting place on the kitchen counter -'He can't even eat cookies, Mike'

-'Just shhh! He doesn't know that...come on baby! First steppies!'

The front door of the Wheeler house opened and Dustin, Lucas, Max and Will poured in, -'Did I just heard Mike say "steppies" ?' Max asked with a shit eating smile,

Mike rolled his eyes, -'I'm trying to get him to walk'

Dustin searched inside his backpack and pulled out a bar of Three Musketeers,

-'Aww! Come here Mini Paladin! If you walk I'll give you nougat-'

-'Nougat is disgustiiiiiing' El yelled from the kitchen with her mouth full of Karen's macaroni leftovers,

-'IT IS NOT! I'm trying to make a good man out of your son, Jane, shut the hell up!'

-'A good man like YOU?' Max said sarcastically,

-'Hey! I'm his favorite uncle'

-'He's one year old, Dustin. He probably doesn't even know who *I* am and I clean his butt every day' Mike sighed deeply,

-'Don't lie Mike, do you know how much pee I wipe on the daily' Will protested from the kitchen table.

-'And do you know how much shit *I* wipe on the daily, Will?' He fired back with a chuckle,

-'Don't even tell me'.

As the night went on, the friends continued having fun and trying to teach the baby how to walk or take a few steps.

Usually, Mike was very short-tempered and sharp. He always had something to spit back, but when it came to El and his son, he was the most patient person in the world.

Whether it was helping El with pronunciation (She was great at writing and reading in her mind, but out loud was another story sometimes), or dealing with Levi's occasional tantrums because he wanted a dairy-packed treat that would probably make his little belly upset, or maybe even when he had to spend half of the money he made that week from tutoring on Levi's special powdered milk or medical treatments. He would do anything for his tiny family, all with a huge smile on his face.

-'Come on, son, I know you can do this!'

El watched Mike holding Levi's little chunky hands as he helped him take one step after the other.

She had never seen anything so perfect.

He was still learning how to be a dad. Every day he learned a new lesson, but he was a great one already.

END OF FLASHBACK

-'I am going...to kill every single person I encounter...for what they did to me, first. And for what they kept doing to Levi'

-'What's making you-what did they do to you' Joyce held El's leg AND RUBBED it gently.

El took a deep breath and wiped some tears,

-'Other than using me like a weapon and punishing me for not obeying? Just...things...like touch me and everything...things that I now know are not...really appropiate, for a 10 year old', Joyce was listening attentively;

-'And the first time...the first time Mike and I tried to have sex or whatever, I totally freaked out. I punched him and slapped him, I was so...terrified, of somebody touching me again' she was full on crying about how she had been sexually abused by the people in the lab,

-'And I just wanted to run away but he stopped me and hugged me...but it's still in the back of my mind every day, Ma. So-So I wanna kill all of them...for what they did to me. And for keeping my baby captive doing god knows what to him'.

UNDERGROUND FACILITY

-'We have no readings. Nothing! I think we should just, let him go sir'

-'Don't be an idiot, Allen. I'm sure, if he's the son of our most valuable asset, we will take something out of him'

-'Mr. Schmitt...I understand you wanna keep studying him but we've put him under enough stress. If-if we keep this up we may lose him, sir'

-'Yeah, the chronic pulmonary illness is a problem. A weakness and an obstacle for us, but we must work through it and push the potential out into him'

-'But how is he useful to us connected to a ventilator which only prevents him from asphyxia? It's not curing him! I say we let him go'

-'Can he walk? Dr. Allen?'

-'...I think he can't'

-'Exactly. So you wanna leave him around in the forest, to die of exposure or starvation. Or asphyxiated'

-'It worked before, with the Byers boy in the quarry, If only for a little while...a cover up...people will just think the kidnapper let him go'

-'...No. we keep trying. Prepare him for the next test'.

-'Hi dad' El mumbled as Hopper went into the house again.

-'Hey...nothing. We patroled for what, five hours? Six hours?' He asked Lucas and Max who had joined him (even after him telling them it was too dangerous)

-'Six hours...no vents, no doors...we have to keep trying'

El nodded gently and stood up. She started to pace. Something she used to do when she was nervous or thinking.

-'It's not even about-about the people in the lab. We're running out of time',

Joyce tried to catch her hand but she brushed it away,

-'This problem in his lungs...has given us enough scares to Mike and I. Things got so bad, the nurses at the hospital taught him how to do CPR when Levi was born because...it's risky. It was risky back then, still risky now' she explained the situation with such eloquence and clearness, there was no doubt the race against time was absolutely real.

Hopper nodded and laid a hand on her shoulder,

-'El, go get some sleep. We'll keep looking tonight'

-'Summer nights are freezing' Mike said from the corner of the living room,

-'...That's true but in case you haven't noticed,we are against the clock here Michael'

Mike looked baffled

-'Do you think I don't know that? You think I don't know what to do? I'm as desperate as you are, Sir!'

-'I don't wanna argue with you today Wheeler. You and El should both try to get some sleep'

-'Sleep's not gonna solve anything' Mike responded sharply,

-'It may help your paranoia, and some food may help your anger'

-'Don't tell me what to fucking do! I hate that!'

The door recieved three knocks and Karen's melodious voice resonated from behind it.

-'Who called my mom?' Mike asked, bitterly

Joyce stood up and went to get the door, -'I did' she mumbled.

Karen Wheeler stepped in. She always managed to look radiant and spectacular. Like the smiley cheerleader Joyce had befriended in middle school.

-'Hi' she hugged Joyce tight and let herself in.

-'Hi Hop' she greeted him with a side hug. The guy a whole foot taller than her.

She scanned the room for her only son, and spotted him under some blankets on the coucj.

-'Mike, Mike are you okay?' She held his face in her hands and examined him.

-'Why wouldn't I be? Why did they call you?!'

-'Joyce did...you're not feeling well, aren't you?'

Mike's lip quivered. He kinda needed a hug from his mom.

-'No. I feel restless and anxious but I don't think I wanna talk about it'

-'That's okay honey...we aren't doing any better at home'

Mike nodded, -'I can imagine' he grasped her mom's cardigan and buried his face into the crook of her neck,

-'My sweet baby. You'll see, we're gonna be fine...everything's gonna get resolved and we're gonna find him soon', Karen's hopeful eyes looked into Hopper's blue ones with just one questions. How's the search going.

-'We are getting there, Karen' Hopper responded, trying to sound sure of himself.

The woman nodded gently and sat on the couch, practically holding Mike onto her lap.

After a few hours, El coaxed Hopper into letting her go into the void again.

-'Won't it drain you?' The concerned father asked,

-'Probably...but every second we sit here putting together the next round of exploring, it's a second he gets sicker and sicker...'

at the sight of her dad's doubting, El decided to do some refreshing,

-'Do you NOT remember, dad? That night a few months ago? How it almost KILLED ME? I was so stressed about losing him, dad'

FLASHBACK

Michael Wheeler's bony hands trembled violently. His breathing was irregular and cheeks were blushing in anticipation.

-'I almost crashed on the way here' he confessed to his girlfriend, who looked equally disraught.

-'What did you said happened again?'

El sighed deeply and almost rolled her eyes but figured it would be too rude.

-'I was asleep and he was on the crib beside me as always and I heard a sound so I woke up, and I peeked into his bed and saw him wheezing trying to breathe so I woke every body up and came here...get it?'

Mike nodded and laid back on a chair,

-'What are they doing to him now?'

-'They said they were gonna put him in a ventilator because he can't breathe on his own right now'

-'So wht is this, is it like asthma or something?'

El thought and tried to remember the word the fdoctor gave her.

-'Bronchopulmonary dysplasia I think...'

—&&&—-

-'Hello there little sunshine, you scared me' El almost started crying, she was so stressed about his health she was bottling her worries up...

'What if I hadn't heard him making noises' she had wondered to Mike. The thought of losing her baby was unfathomable.

-'Come here, my sweet little peanut' she made sure the oxygen mask wouldn't move off his face, and then decided to bring Levi to the place he felt safest. Feeling the welcoming warmth of his mom's beating heart.

A heart that lived FOR him, every second of its existence.

The heart of the person who loved him the most in this world, no matter how many sleepless nights, health scares or tantrums.

The love was unconditional, and the energy—calming.

She kissed his head softly and made sure he was warm for the thousandth time. She truly believed affection could help his recovery go faster,

-'You're gonna be fine and out of here so quick, you'll see...'

Anyone with eyes could see El's undying, flaming love for Levi.

It was like a part of her was missing, and he was it. He completed her.

She had felt guilty for admitting she loved her son more than she loved Mike. But she really did. The baby was a part of her. The first puzzle piece of her little family. Her universe revolved around him and she wasn't a tad bit ashamed to let every body know that.

END OF FLASHBACK

El watched the scene before her. Karen had managed to make Mike sleep, his body practically on top of his mom's lap. He needed closeness. His own mother comforting him in harsh times.

She thought about her mama. How Terry couldn't take care of her, or even speak to her. Tears pooled in her eyes.

Then she thought about her own beautiful boy.

How she herself was a mamma now.

Looking at Karen cradling this seventeen year old young man made El remember the first time she held Levi.

It was like magic. Like her chest felt full of a thousand butterflies, a sense of love so strong it literally took her breath away.

From that day last May up until two and a half weeks ago, El had had peaceful alone time every single night with the baby before bedtime, just to tell him how much she loved him.

-'Nobody ever held me like that' she whispered at his dad,

-'What'

-'...I had no mama, dad...remember? Nobody ever—comforted me. When I was scared, when they touched me...I never had someone who cared about me enough' she was sobbing now,

-'And now my own baby doesn't have his mom and he's alone and sick and afraid and I honestly...I should've seen the car tailing us'

-'Oh Ellie, no no come here' Hop hugged her tight and she just fell into his arms;

-'I'm sorry dad, I'm sorry I lost him, I'm sorry this is all my fault'

She was letting out all the weaknesses she hid for Mike's sake.

If El had showed these emotions around Mike, the young man would probably be even less functional than he is right now.

Hop hugged her tight and kissed her head,

-'We'll find him soon, Ellie. I promise'

She took a breath like she was just tired of promises.

-'Soon isn't good enough anymore'

-'What do you mean?'

-'I wanna go find him now, dad. Now'

Hop made sure Karen wasn't listening,

-'...Can you see him in the-the-'

-'Void. The void? Yes. I-I think I can try again'.

Hopper convinced Mike to just stay and catch up on sleep. The heaviness in the teenager's eyes was deeply noticeable and he succumbed to slumber quickly on El's bed.

The sight of the white crib with little teeth marks on the wood, the occasional stray small sock, a baby blue paci laying on the bedside table or last year's family photo dated Dec. 25 could've triggered him somehow but he was just so exhausted he just SLEPT.

This night had been one of the first nights Mike had slept over at the Hopper-Byers household since him and El's big fight.

The fight had been due to a fairly innocent thing, but El was already so over the edge and in the threshold of madness due to exhaustion, she had gathered every ounce of patience to avoid hurting the father of her child with her powers.

FLASHBACK

El had been tryung to catch up on some rest on the following nights after Levi's big health scare. The pediatric neumologist had given the baby the go to be at home with his parents as long as they administered the oxygen therapy religiously.

The whole hectic ordeal had made Levi even more clingy and needy in every way, but El knew how to handle him. She was too tired though so she asked Mike if he could skip some classes with her to stay at home and watch over the baby more closely. Not that she didn't trust Karen Wheeler, but when it came to her sick child, she knew best. Even if she was just sixteen.

The beginning of summer also heralded the start of Mike's exhausting and annoying allergies and colds. For whatever fucking reason.

After days and days of being stuck in a hospital, watching her son struggling to breathe, El was kind of done with everybody. She was irritable, easily annoyed with anyone except the one year old baby before her.

So when Mike had gotten a little allergy, and El realised her stuffy-nosed boyfriend was hanging around their sick baby, she fucking lost it.

It was about 8pm when Mike was getting Levi ready for bed that he had sneezed around him, his pale nose red, freckles darkening.

El turned to him with an angry glare.

-'Mike are you sick?' She asked, while putting on her pajama shirt.

-'Just a little allergy, it's no-'

-'...Then get the hell away from the baby! Seriously Mike, he just fucking got home from the HOSPITAL. DO YOU WANT HIM TO BE SICK AGAIN?!'

Her voice thundered all around the Byers house.

Mike looked at her with a surprised stare,

-'El-'

-'DO YOU, MIKE?! OR ARE YOU JUST FUCKING STUPID?! GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HIM YOURE GONNA GET HIM SICK!'

-'You're being irrational!' He tried to calm her down by holding her hands but she swatted them away,

-'I AM THE ONE SACRIFICING MY LIFE FOR HIM, I'M THE ONLY ONE TRYING! I STAY UP NIGHT AFTER NIGHT JUST TO MAKE SURE HES STILL EVEN BREATHING, OKAY?! I LIVE STRESSED EVERY SECOND, AND YOU?! I WAS THE ONE WHO-WHO WAS SICK ALL THE TIME, THE ONE WHO HAD TO GO THROUGH SURGERY AND LIKE TWO MONTHS IN PAIN WHILE EVERYONE EXPECTED ME TO BE OKAY AND CARE FOR HIM ALONE...AND YOU MIKE?!'

-'Jane don't even fucking go there. You know damn well I do my part' he was trying so hard not to yell back

-'YOUR PART IS NOT FUCKING ENOUGH, MICHAEL! IT IS NOT ENOUGH! GET OFF HIM, YOURE BEING SUCH AN INCONSIDERATE MORON RIGHT NOW! LEAVE!'

Hopper wanted to interrupt. He had never seen El so angry. It was like all 5ft 98 pounds of her were on fire.

-'IT'S JUST ALLERGY, EL!'

-'I DONT GIVE TWO FUCKS IF ITS THE FLU OR FUCKING HEART DISEASE MIKE! DO YOU SEE WHERE I-'

-'I'd understand you better if you stopped fucking yelling at me and blaming me for shit I have no control over'

El buried her face in her hands when she heard her son whimpering. Normally she would fly to comfort him but she wad just absolutely drained.

-'I can't...can't tend for him-'

-'Then let me' Mike offered,

-'WHAT PART OF LEAVE DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND!' She made the front door bang open and the BMW turned on its own. Just go, Mike.

Mike stared at her...she really was kicking him out.

The couple hadn't even noticed when Joyce went into the room and craddled the baby into her shoulder to pull him out of the situation.

El sat on the middle of the living room, her hand reaching for the PJ onesie Levi was wearing the night before he disappeared. A very small thing with a red dino in the middle; Mike had gotten it because "It reminds me of Rory". Ah yeah, that damn toy, El was happy Levi managed to fry the speaker, it would wake her up at night only to find her son playing with it at 2 in the morning.

She chuckled slightly at the memory.

At how she would wake up, take the toy from his little hands and playfully tickle him until he was too tired to think about rummaging around for more toys. He would then focus on touching his mother's face like he was trying to memorize with his small fingers. Caressing every crease, every ridge, paying close attention to the dimples that appeared when she smiled. She let him, of course. He would be so concentrated on discovering everything about El's face he would fall asleep without noticing. And then she wouldn't have the heart to move him, so she would let him share the bed for the rest of the night.

El felt as maybe she had cried so much she didn't have any tears left. It was weird sobbing without wetness following shortly after.

Hopper decided not to intervene, she had to et in touch with her emotions to find her son again.

Joyce watched the scene from afar. She had never tried to replace El's biological mother and now she was starting to question if she should've had.

The steady drip of red liquid had started to stain her upper lip.

Hopper saw his daughter hold onto the dinosaur pajama shirt so hard her knuckles turned white. Her painted nails grasping desperately, as if the child would materialise into the onesie if she tried hard enough.

El walked through a hallway.

This hallway was panelled with glass walls and wooden doors.

She started reading each of the tags that adorned each door.

'Logistics'

'Administration'

'Equipment'

'Medical Supplies'

'Biologic material'

'Hazardous'

'Chemistry department'

'Hospital'

El took a deep breath. She couldn't feel her son's energy, but logic told her to go in there.

The glass doors slid open.

The small hospital was cold. And sterile.

She was looking around, trying to catch up on every single detail that could help her in the quest to save her baby.

She walked further and saw him. Connected to a ventilator, and various IVs.

Levi Michael Wheeler had been born small and stayed small through his first year of life.

When he was born he was so tiny Hopper could hold him in one hand, which at first made El nervous but eventually she understood it was safe.

Now that he was one and a half, he was barely 22 pounds. Light enough for Mike to multitask in taking him out of the crib with one arm and preparing a bottle with the other.

El didn't know what they had been feeding her child, if at all. The baby looked lethargic, like they didn't know how else to keep him alive but through fluids and a fan for his lungs.

She wanted to cry. Scream. Kill whoever had done this.

She had spent the last year and a half of her life completely devoted to keeping her baby boy safe and well. She had skipped weeks worth of school, had gotten a few Fs in some tests because she had been too tired to study after endless nights watching her son sleep.

Mike's family had spent a small fortune in hospital bills and medicines for the littlest Wheeler, constantly worrying over his well being.

And now her son lay on a bed, barely alive. She almost missed the third figure rolling in her field of sight.

The clink of a wheelchair made her flinch. Her breath caught in her throat and she almost used her own hands and nails to murder the person before her.


	15. Chapter 15

An elegant, lean man with frosty white hair wheeled himself towards Levi's bedside.

Eleven wanted to vomit. To cry, to scream, to murder, to rip his throat off.

A large scar adorned the left side of his face. It was like a slash or a rip. She then looked at the man's legs. Or lack thereof. She almost wished the demogorgon could appear again just to finish the job.

Then...a splash of freezing water hit her face.

She focused her vision with difficulty. Hopper's worried blue eyes locked into her hazel ones. She could hear Mike's sobbing behind her father. And then she tasted her own lips. Blood.

The blood stain started at her nose and dripped into her pale pink T-shirt. Her ears were bloody as well and her head throbbed. But this time she decided not to faint and cry. She was boiling in anger.

The fucking ringbell rang, and El wanted to just blow the damn thing off. Joyce got up quickly and opened the door for Max, Lucas and Dustin.

The trio was feeling like a pack of fish out of water. They couldn't relate to the family's grief, they could only observe from a distance.

El was sitting between Mike's legs trying to dry her tears and staining his shirt with blood. He wasn't looking any better. How many pounds had he shed again? Ten in two weeks?

The extent of his depression was absolutely noticeable. His once blushing cheeks were paler than ever, if that was even possible. His usually bright deep brown eyes were void of excitement and wonder. His upper body was so skinny he was almost sharp to the touch with all his bones poking out hazardously.

For El, hugging Mike was like hugging a stick now, unable to feel the discrete lean muscle he had acquired from swimming and running track.

But he was there. Absolutely all of him, for the love of his life (Whether that was Jane Hopper or Levi Michael Wheeler).

Max approached the couple, walking past Hopper and Will. She laid a hand on El's shoulder in a vain attempt to comfort her.

-'Hey...'

El almost jumped at Max's hand on her shoulder.

-'Hi'

-'...We're all here to help you, guys. You know how we roll. The party stays together'

El chuckled and nodded weakly, -'It's dangerous...you guys have to NOT be around the facility...I can't promise an easy evacuation, I plan to bury it forever',

She saw Max's ginger eyebrows pull together, -'Bury?'

El sighed deeply and finished wiping her face with her t-shirt,

-'...I don't want survivors this time. I want this to be over for good'

Max froze for a second and then nodded, -'Okay, for good'.

FLASHBACK

-MAX-

Mike sat cross-legged in his basement's floor with a curious one-year old baby in his lap. He was showing him his D&D book, as well as some notes for the next campaign.

-'And then this is what's gonna happen, see how there's the picture of a dragon?'

The little boy pointed at the binder and huffed, -'Huh?'

-'Yup...a dragon. It's gonna be neat' Mike chuckled and continued caressing and gently squeezing the subtle pillows of soft skin on his son's hands.

Max however, was less than starry-eyed about Mike's shenanigans.

-'Chem is hard' she confessed, trying to get Mike to help her further into the equations.

-'You're smart, Max, you can do it'

-'But it's hard as hell! Even YOU take a while balancing this shit'

Mike rolled his eyes and sighed, yeah, chem was hard but it was his forte. He had an A+ in fucking everything.

-'Okay, what do you need help with?' He asked absentmindedly as he let his son skim clumsily through the pages on the binder,

-'It's just...the damn equations and clearing the x'

-'Okay, well...that's easy though'

Max slammed her pencil on the table in frustration, hard enough to make Levi look up, his eyes watering at the loud noise.

Mike rolled his eyes, -'You upset him, you fucking caveman'

-'Well, I don't pay you five dollars for you to play smart ass on me! Tutor me, tutor' she rolled her eyes and pulled at his mop of hair,

-'Jesus, okay! At least apologise to my son then!' He helped Levi stand up unsteadily, walking him over to where Max was seating, the baby's big green eyes softening her a bit.

-'Sorry I'm a caveman with no respect of your wellbeing, sweet little man' she grinned and pinched his freckled cheek.

Mike smiled wide before putting a little baby bottle in the child's hands, making sure he was able to suckle off it, -'Okay, get entertained with that while I teach this knucklehead how to balance some atoms'

-'KNUCKLEHEAD?! It's on, Wheeler!'.

END OF FLASHBACK

El and Mike no longer knew the meaning of modesty, so showering and changing into fresh clothes in front of each other wasn't a weird thing to do anymore.

Hell, he had helped her clean her stitched incisions a year and a half back! Fuck modesty!

-'Have you eaten anything' El's soft voice stabbed and ripped through the silence in her bedroom.

-'No, I'm not hungry'

El sighed deeply and pulled on her bra. It wasn't like she had been eating properly as well, but at least she had some meals in her stomach, she knew Mike had been starving himself to the brink of death.

-'Mike, before we go, you should-'

-'Eat something? Yeah, absolutely' he said. That sarcastic fucking tone.

The tone he used to hide the sharp stabbing feeling in his empty guts, how when he sat up he would get a bit dizzy.

-'If I have to force feed you, I fucking will' she remarked, in an impossibly velvety voice, -'You're not coming if you can't hold yourself up for more than a while, Michael'

-'Don't tell me what to do, Jane, because I swear to God-'

El had it. She pulled her top on and rolled her eyes, -'GOD?! What GOD, MIKE? If there was a God, my son would be HERE' she pointed at the white crib, -'If there was a GOD, those men wouldn't have slipped their hands up my thigh, if there was a GOD you wouldn't be thinking about k-k-killing yourself every two seconds! ...and if there IS one...if there is a God...he's the one who will have to get on his knees and beg my forgiveness...I'll wait for you outside' and with that, she slammed the door behind her, leaving Mike completely dumbfounded and kind of angry. But not at her. At himself for being such a dick.

El slipped into the chair at the kitchen table and started eating the food Karen had brought in a while before. Cold ass food, she thought. But good.

Karen sat beside her with her hazel eyes brimming with tears.

Why the hell was she crying?

El drove her big doe eyes to her father and Joyce. They looked guilty of something, El wasn't sure of what.

-'Uhmmm' the girl hummed while trying to chew on the chicken pot pie as well,

Karen flung herself into her fragile arms, making El drop her fork, -'K-Karen?'

-'...I know all of it' she cried into El's nape,

-'...What is IT?' El asked, a bit intrigued now,

Karen held El's face and almost memorized her with her eyes,

-'...The truth. About everything, from start to-to finish...is it-is it true you can do...things...'

el looked behind her back at her father, who gave her an approving shrug,

-'...Yes' her voice was smaller than she had intended. Fuck.

-'Like-like-'

-'At this point I could maybe make an airplane hover for a while before fainting...I'm not sure, I haven't practiced since the baby was born, I could turn on every single vehicle outside, I could make the roof cave in on us, make the electronics fry themselves, and I could snap the necks of anybody in my way...and I also can find Levi, and save him from the people who have him captive...and that's what I'm gonna do'

Karen looked like she was gonna faint. She swapped her hands as if she was shooing away an invisible bee...-'Can you prove it?' She asked quietly.

Normally El would hate being treated like a damn zoo animal, just showing what she could do, but this was Mike's mom and her baby's grandma. She deserved to see.

El took her manicured hand and walked her outside where three cars were parked on the lawn.

Joyce's new Chevrolet (a gift from Hop), Hop's truck and Karen's sedan.

-'You may want to sit for this' the teenager warned her.

The remaming people were peeping from the inside, eager to see Karen's reaction.

Karen sat on the same garden table she had sat almost two years ago, hearing the news that her son would be a teenage father.

-'Pay attention' El's soft voice cut through her thoughts.

She saw El flick her finger very gently, and the sound of metal moving started to shoot through the quiet night.

Then, El just swapped her hand lazily and Hop's truck's tires screeched and burned as it slid across the pavement and lawn, cutting through the grass.

She then lifted her hand and Karen's car engine shot to life, the alarm ringing obnoxiously.

The lights inside the house flickered, and the curtains shook slightly.

El turned off the car with her mind and set Hop's truck where it belonged.

As she turned around, she noticed Karen's wan pallor.

-'...You did this?' Her voice just a thread of what it really was.

-'...As I said, if I try I could make an airplane hover, the whole junkyard crinkle, burn all the lights, kill...and find'

Karen couldn't possible trust her legs right now but she absolutely had to hug her daughter-in-law.

-'...You are...a miracle of nature'

El disagreed. She was a monster in potency.

The thought haunted her every night.

A miracle was supposed to be something good.

Like holding the small child she had grown inside her body, feeling him breathing against her neck, feeling the soft lint-like texture of his newborn hair, a characteristic soothing scent filling her nostrils.

A miracle she needed to save.

A miracle was Mike overcoming his depression over the course of the last year. Every breath he took in her presence was a gift. Even if he was broken now, at least his veins weren't split open, bleeding him to death.

-'No, I'm not. But thank you for thinking that of me'.


	16. Chapter 16

She laid her head on the kitchen table and watched her dad grab a shotguns and ammo.

As fucking IF he was gonna act as her shield.

Will convinced Mike of eating a yogurt coated granola just so he could have something more than water and stomach acid during their quest.

El felt sorry for yelling at him earlier. She has been angry. For good reasons.

-'Hi' she said weakly at her boyfriend, who was leaning against the counter.

-'Hey you' he grinned sadly.

El sighed and just looked at him. All freckles, and black curly hair, and full lips and gentle eyes. God she loved him. She really was hopelessly, mercilessly, aggressively in love with him.

She hugged him tight. Tighter than they'd hugged in the last few days.

She held his face, and looked up. UP. Mike towering over little 5ft1 EL, at a 6ft2 stature.

She pulled him down and kissed him firmly. Nothing too passionate or innapropiate. Just FIRM.

You are mine. I am yours. We will get through anything that comes in our way. We are forever.

A kiss and a promise.

-'Sorry I was a dick' she mumbled into his shirt. He chuckled and kissed her head, -'You're not a dick...you're scared. And I am too. Sorry I can't be strong, like you would want me to be right now'.

Such bullshit. El knew Mike was susceptible to depressive episodes. Weakening ones, that made him almost useless. No, useless was not the right word. It was an ugly word.

Episodes were he wouldn't eat for days, OR all he would do was eat. Like it could feel the void in his soul. Episodes of insomnia, or complete lethargy that could leave him bed-bound for weeks.

Poor anger management, causing him to hurt some feelings without even thinking. As if Mike wasn't sharp and stubborn enough.

They had been less and less frequent ever since the baby was born. Its like he could channel his frustrations and filter them through this little being. This beam of absolute sunlight shining through the darkness. Levi was all love, life and light. He was healing.

Mike put El on the counter and stood between her knees, holding her hands tight, -'What's the game-plan, general?'

El chuckled at his nerdiness, and sighed so deeply she thought her lungs were gonna deflate forever.

-'...I know where the lab is. It's a long drive, and it scares me. We'll need to go to the hospital afterwards'

The sole thought of having to rush gave Mike a migraine.

-'...We'll seriously have to fly...you can't make us fly, can you?'

El shook her head, -'Let's not think about what I can't do...we should load a first aid kit, and his nebulizer, okay? At least...in case we need to, I don't know...heal some battle scars'

-'Okay, okay' he ran a bone thin hand across his thick, ebony curls and bit his lip...

-'And this place. The lab...have you seen how it is?'

El nodded and sipped some water from a cup before continuing,

-'It's mostly all glass'

All glass. When glass broke...tiny knives. Dangerous. Sharp.

-'Glass'

El nodded in confirmation...

-'...We should get going...'

-'Wait, how are we gonna get in?!' Mike asked, a tone of worry and desperation tinted his deep, usually sure voice.

-'I'll fry the lights. The rest, we'll figure it out as we go'.

In the living room, Max and Lucas looked at the portraits littered around the tables and chimney tops.

-'Look, Max. Remember this day?'.

FLASHBACK

It was an unusually hot day of spring. Very pleasing. Not too cold or chilly, and not unbearably hot. Perfect for a child to play outside.

Mike had invited the party over at his house so they could have some barbecue food and maybe, MAYBE some lite beer, while also watching for little Levi.

Mike felt like a damn loser. He must admit, seeing El in bikinis got more amusing as time went by. She was slender, small, thin and her movement looked purposely graceful.

-'Oh noooo' she cooed at the baby inside the very tiny inflatable pool, -'You're something else, son, you DO know water goes IN the pool, right?'

Mike chuckled from the shade, while he was working on a new campaign.

-'Quit chuckling, look at all the mud he's making' despite wanting to seem angry, El's lips formed into a huge grin.

-'Are we sure it's mud and not poop?' He laughed, and El rolled her eyes.

The jokes were interrupted by the sound of Max and Lucas approaching the Wheeler backyard.

How did they know? The bickering. Incessant bickering.

-'What are you two arguing about now?' El asked the couple while looking up from the baby in the pool.

-'He forgot the damn chicken! And the corn!' Max yelled, making Lucas roll his eyes,

-'Let me live, woman! We'll tell Dustin and Will to bring it! Jesus!'

El rolled her eyes again and with a flick of her manicured hand, she opened the top of the grill and got the fire started, -'Just put the damn food in there, guys!'.

-'Tickles! Tickles for your belly!' Max tackled the tiny baby into a spot with especially soft grass and was now torturing him with raspberries and tickles.

-'You're gonna give him an asthma attack, Maxine' Mike grunted from his spot as BBQ supervisor (He was shit at it, the sauce in the pork ribs got burned under his surveillance)

-'Shut up, he fucking loves this!'.

El was sitting on a towel, talking to Lucas and Mark (Will's sort of boyfriend/date), when the dark-skinned boy spotted a puddle of mud just beside the kiddie pool.

He jumped to his feet and got an idea, -'Hey El, how mad would you be at me and this young man playing soldiers in the mud?'

-'Not mad at all' she said, absentmindedly while getting another light beer from the cooler box beside her.

Lucas put the baby on his back and started sliding against the mud, -'Are you ready to be a soldier, you freckly monster?!'

The child responded with a tiny scream of delight.

Mike ran into the house through the basement door, -'EL!' He screamed from the inside,

The young girl rolled her eyes and pulled up her shades, -'WHAT'

-'Where is the polaroid camera, babe?'

-'UPSTAIRS!'

And off he went. Climbing three steps with each stride, then knocking shit around his room looking for the device.

Jesus Christ what a damn junkyard. Wait, a pair of jean shorts? Mike knew DAMN WELL he-...Oh. Right.

He smiled briefly when he saw a pair of extremely tiny Nike sneakers next to his (the ones he used for track practice).

Shit, the camera!

Mike loved documenting every aspect of the little baby's life. He even had a board up next to his bed with all kinds of pictures, like Levi's first bath, the present year's Valentines day with El, and last year's Christmas photo in which the tiny man completely stole the moment.

He didn't even cared his AC DC shirt got stained with mud. He wanted to capture Levi's huge grin and mud covered belly as Lucas laughed at him.

After seeing how absolutely drenched in mud he was, he looked over at El who was still talking to Mark. And got a devious idea.

He came from behind and hugged her gently, and she jumped from the warm feeling and earthly smell.

-'MIKE! NO!'

-'El, El! My girl, the mother of my child, my beam of sunshine, the moon to my sun, the love of my LIFE! Come here and hug me and KISS ME!'

-'You're ruining my bikiniiii' she gave up with a whine and turned around, taking in his beauty. His cheeks were kind of blushing from the sun and from laughing at their child, his multiple freckles seemed to absolutely infest his face and god. His smile. She would pull down every moon, planet, galaxy and star in the whole universe if that meant she could see him smile every single day.

-'I love you' she mumbled while rubbing her blushing button nose against his freckly one,

-'I love you too' he kissed her deeply and patted her head of hair before bolting off into the kiddie pool, mud tinting it brown.

END OF FLASHBACK

-'I have to help them'. Lucas' tone wasn't a question or a suggestion. It was a fact.

-'I can offer my car!' He called, making El, Mike and Hop look at him.

Hopper considered it for five seconds.

-'We may need another car to escape, or...bring injured to the hospital'

-'I'm fast and safe...I can do it'

-'And I'll go too' Max held Lucas' hand and squeezed it. Also a fact.

El nodded without question. She would need all the help they could have.

-'Absolutely.'

Will frowned when he saw Mike shoving ammo into his jacket pockets.

-'...Who taught you-'

-'Nancy' his eyes met Will's huge green ones, a sad smirk across his face, -'For protection. I know it's nothing compared to being able to crush the brains of every single person in a room but...it's what I can do'.

Will couldn't argue with that.


	17. Chapter 17

El pulled on a dark blue shirt over her head.

-'If we're gonna move in the dark we're gonna have to blend IN with the dark' she explained to her boyfriend. Even though she had no intention in letting him put his life on the fireline once again.

-'Mike' she called while stuffing a tiny green sock into her pocket. Good luck charm.

-'Come here baby' she said, holding out her arm.

The boy took it and pulled her close,

-'What is it?' Obvious concern in his voice. Jesus, always so altruistic.

She looked deep into his eyes. The brown, big ones, with abundant eyelashes and dilated pupils; framed by bushy eyebrows and a mop of ebony, Dull black curls.

El sighed and held his hands. -'I love you, you know that?'

Mike frowned, -'What's going on?'

-'Nothing babe, I just...wanna remind you' (Actually I'm afraid I'm gonna die after beinging a government facility back to the ground where it belongs and I just wanna let you know how much I love you).

-'I really love you, loved you four years ago when we were twelve, loved you throughout my fifteens, and I love you now. You're such a good dad already, I'm so proud of you. And god, you're smart. Smarter than anyone I've ever met...I love your patience, your kindness and selflesness. All about you' she glued herself into him, shovinh her cold hands down the pockets of his jeans. She pulled him even closer and kissed his nose,

-'I love you too, El. We're forever, remember?'

She nodded and laid her head on his chest.

After a heated argument that left Karen in tears, Mike made her go back home and be with the family while they resolved this.

Not before Karen pulled him down, hugging him tight and kissing his head. "I love you son, take care, be careful and bring him home" she had said.

Joyce had to be ripped off Will's body, she was extremely jittery and terrified. Her husband, daughter and son were going off to fight a war. Her heart broke by the minute.

Hop grabbed Joyce's hands and squeezed then tight, -'...You have to calm down, and be okay...for your own sake. Everything's gonna work out' he then hugged his small wife and kissed her head, -'I love you and we'll let you know once it's qll over'

Joyce barely had time to agree when all the teenagers bolted out the door and into the dangerous quest ahead.

Michael Wheeler was terrified. He didn't know if his shaking was from the chilly breeze coming through Hop's rolled down window, his body begging him for food or just the sheer terror that he may lose his life tonight without seeing his son one last time.

It would all be worth it though. He would take a bullet to his brain for his family and friends. He was the Paladin after all, the honorable, brave knight. He was.

-'STOP' El called, and took off the bandana from her eyes; -'It's near' she whispered to her father, and looked to the back seat. If Will's eyes weren't huge before...

Mike looked like he was dying.

Shit.

They heard Lucas' car stop behind them as well.

-'You sure we walk from here and we'll find it?'

Hopper asked, genuinely curious,

-'Yes...come on' she responded.

The cold summer night sensation made Mike feel like he was being stabbed. The thick blanket El had draped over him did little to appease his nerves, at least.

He was on the verge of hyperventilating while walking through the shadowy forest. His air conducts weren't wide enough for this type of stress.

El turned to look at the group of people walking behind her. Sad eyes instead of the usual loving ones.

-'If it comes to it...save the baby, just make sure that happens...I want him to be safe. This mission is all about him, and-and I don't know what I would do if I survive and he doesn't'

-'El don't talk like that' Mike's voice broke, he wanted to sound strong but at this point it was fucking useless.

FLASHBACK

El whimpered faintly as she sat on the way-too-uncomfortable chair at the hospital, under the supervision of Owens. The way the scar and stitches decorated her body meant sitting wasn't her favorite thing to do, and all she could think about was how she would be able to go home and do chores while taking care of a newborn and recover from a major double-surgery

-'Wait, hold his head, remember he's so tiny',

Owens talked to Hopper in the corner of her room. She could hear them quite clearly. But that wasn't what was in her mind.

The smell of fresh pine, discrete cologne and some sort of coconut shampoo reminded El thAt her boyfriend was kneeling right beside her. He looked tired but willing to learn everything he could.

El was small herself, but that baby looked even more minuscule in her arms.

-'Isn't he like a precious little doll?' She asked softly, watching the kid's tiny nose wrinkle when he breathed with the help of an oxygen tube.

-'He is' Mike chuckled and caressed the lint-like texture of the hair on the crown of his head.

Mike looked up at El. She was amazing. Apart from being telekinetic force of nature to be reckoned with, she was so brave and loving. He couldn't thank her enough for bringing his son into this world.

He would make sure Levi was to grow a good man. Caring, altruistic, and charismatic like a combination of him and El. He just prayed he didn't developed his stubbornness.

-'I love you...you're the love of my life and I'm extremely proud of you...you know that?' He said, carefully examining his face.

-'You already told me that, Mike' she was blushing,

-'Get ready cuz I'll never stop saying it'

END OF FLASHBACK

HE FELT El grip his hand tighter. She caressed the leather bound bracelet she had given him, with the initials of the three of them engraved in the back of it.

And then he saw why.

Hop walked in front of them...she had led them to a metal door inside the surrounding perimeter of barbed wire and a fence that was sure to be charged with electricity.

Absolutely. There were dead squirrels hanging ominously from the barbed wire.

Lucas sighed deeply...-'Shit' he mumbled.

Cameras stared back at them.

-'No problem' El whispered, and tried to put her hand on the fence.

Hopper pushed her away, -'WHAT THE FUCK JANE'

-'It won't hurt me! I'm gonna overload the system and hopefully fry all this...Will, you got the bolt cutters right?'

Her brother nodded silently.

Mike pulled her away as well. -'Are you SURE about this!'

-'100%. I've done this before', with a wave of her pinky she pushed her dad far back enough that he would not have time to stop her.

She grasped the fence and nothing happened...the lights flickered, the camera's wires came loose and the top of the fence visibly fried. Squirrels and all.

A small drop of blood tinted her cupid's bow, but that was about it.

She could see Hop's jaw tensing. He was stressed.

-'William, Max, Lucas...you stay out' Mike said, like the leader he was. The trio nodded in understanding, ready to abide to the plan.

Their eyes went big when Mike grabbed a gun from under his jacket, making sure it was loaded.

-'Do not look at me like I'm a freak, you three' he requested without looking up.

The grass, drenched in dew, crackled under their shoes. Four guards laid on the ground, their necks had snapped before they even had time to register what they were seeing. Eleven was not planning to hold back tonight.

The sound of the crack of the spine made Mike's skin crawl. Jesus fucking Christ. This is suicide.

His thoughts were interrupted by several guards yelling at them to 'DONT MOVE, HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM'. Hopper tried to shield his daughter in case they So El obeyed. With one flick of her finger she made all five of them crash into the ground.

-'Not dead. Fainted' she mumbled while approaching the heavy metal doors.

-'El...it's a reinforced titanium door, there's probably a bunch of guards on the other side', Mike's voice was shaking as hard as the rest of his body.

-'...Down' she looked up. UP. At both her father and her boyfriend.

-'What?' Both responded, lowering their respective weapons.

-'I SAID DOWN!' She pinned them into the grass, and the sound of metal hinges giving in deafened them. The doors twisted off its frame and fell with a screech.

The shower of bullets came right after.

Mike felt like he was really gonna die there and then. He looked beside him to see Hop had practically tackled El under him, his huge bear frame engulfing her dainty body completely.

El pulled her small hand from under her father's embrace and just...

The guns turned on their owners and fired several rounds into their skulls.

Mike honestly wanted to vomit. Their fucking brains were splattered EVERYWHERE. The metallic stench of blood and grey matter made him sick.

The three of them heard the fire alarm go off, and people squeezing out the main entrance trying to escape the slaughter. El recognised some...she had seen them haunting her dreams. Her nightmares. She looked into the underground lab. A straight hallway with glass panelled rooms all along it.

Glass.

Knives.

Same difference.

Only when she tried to speak did she noticed the taste of blood on her lips. Fuck.

Blood loss was def a nuisance.

Hopper stood up and held her close to his side, Mike was shaking like a leaf.

What a moment for 2 weeks of starvation to catch up on him.

The knowing eyes of the lab employees who saw her were terribly afraid. Afraid for their lives.

As they should be - Eleven thought.

She pulled out both hands from her father's grasp and shot at least thirty people against a tiled wall, making the back of their heads hit it, splatters of blood coloring the once white tiles.

Hopper looked down at his baby. His tiny little thing, dressed in no more than a navy blue shirt, a black hoodie and some jeans. His dainty force of nature.

No. Not nature.

Supernature.

Super natural?

No.

Just super powerful.

The lights go out with a bang and the yellow emergency siren shines ominously above them.

Hopper is sweating more than he thought. Maybe it was the nerves. He didn't even wanted to look beside him at Mike.

Boy was paper white, and looked like he was about to faint or run out screaming.

-'Hide' El whispered, scurrying around a blown off desk.

-'Where?' Hop asked a bit louder.

She bit her lip and her eyebrows joined a bit...a deep sigh and she flung her boyfriend and father into a deposit room and locked them in.

She could hear Mike's desperate screams from the other side of the door until they were out of earshot. Her heart broke with every step she took, but it was her duty to protect her loved ones. She wasn't gonna let them be her human shield.


	18. Chapter 18

She was hidden now behind some sort of computer machine, as Mike would call it.

Ah, yes. Mike. With his chiseled face structure, cheeks and nose peppered in freckles, and his unruly matt of midnight back hair falling over his thick eyelashes. He was so perfect. The thought of him happy brought tears to her eyes.

El was doing this not only to retrieve her son from the claws of pure evil. But also to grab Mike back from the darkness that lingered above him.

He was screaming so loud he was sure he would make Hopper go deaf before they even had the chance to leave that utility room.

-'EL?! EL LET US OUT! PLEASE EL PLEASE! DONT DO THIS BABY, COME ON'

His hands clawed at the wood of the door, not caring splinters were digging into his fingers and under his nails.

Jesus. Hopper thought. He's trying to rip his way out of here.

-'Kid! CALM DOWN!' The big man took Mike's waist and pulled him away from the door,

-'ELEVEN' he yelled into his ear. He was desperate.

The two loves of his life were behind that door, fighting to live.

"Where is the motherfucking hospital door" she thought. Gosh this place was larger than it seemed. She couldn't hear Levi either. Surely the noise would've woken him up wherever he was. He wasn't a very very heavy sleeper, so if he was alert enough he would wake up.

With the power off, the heat also fried. And it was catching up on her. Wasn't summer-fall supposed to be a bit warm?

Her lip trembled but not in fear, she was just a bit cold.

Absolutely not afraid. She had just stopped a shower of bullets coming her direct way. If she had to do it a million times more to save her baby she would.

Despite the warm yellow light barely illuminating the frenetic hallways full of trapped people, she saw several men she had seen before.

 _-'come on, El. Let Smith and Allen make you feel good for being so obedient today'_

 _Brenner took advantage of her temporary physical weakness to sell her out to child molestors and rapists. Only she didn't understood what was happening, really._

 _The worse feeling in the world HAD to be this._

 _Feeling the cold air of the lab seep in between her legs after Smith had taken off her underwear._

 _She knew was coming next._

 _Big soft hands caressed the inside of her thighs but she couldnt point out why she made it feel so uncomfortable if she washed herself down there every day. It was just weird when someone else did it._

 _Then she would feel a sort of stab. Yeah, like a feeling of being stuffed but with a knife._

 _Whenever she tried to scream at him fo stop, he would put his other hand on her mouth and also almost covering her nose so she was barely conscious through it._

 _He would talk. Be vocal._

 _Call her 'the tightest he's ever had' whatever the hell that meant at the time._

 _He would make her swallow some nasty white thing coming out of his -privates- as Papa would call the things between your legs._

 _So much of it, sometimes it even seeped through her nose-_

El didn't hesitate when she saw him.

She had to kill him face to face.

Anger boiled inside of her like lava. Like she was a volcano ready to explode. At this point she didn't give a fuck about killing people who deserved to die.

The world froze around her.

Well not the world. Just the people beside her and Smith, who looked at her like he was a deer in headlights.

-'Remember me, Smith?' She said. Barely a whisper.

The gun he was holding unloaded its ammo on its own, and she swore he wet his pants.

-'...Eleven?'

-'The very same. You guys kidnapped my son, you know? Have him captive, like you had me for the first 11 years of my life. Raping me incessantly, touching me...I could assume you didn't do the same to him because he's a boy, or too small. But I choose to think you did, just so I can kill you even slower, so you can feel every single stab I felt every time you came into my room, how's tha-'

Smith tried to fight his way out of his cornered stance with no avail. With a flick of her PINKY FINGER. God she was powerful now. She kept him pinned against the wall, grabbed a shard of glass. Her hands bleeding because she was holding it so tight.

She approached the pinned man as he screamed for some God who wouldn't help him. Mike's God. Not hers.

-'God you're annoying' she undied his belt and cupped his genitals with excessive force, making him wince.

-'Oh this is nothing...I PROMISE you this is nothing'.

The shard of glass stabbed him THERE. His screams were deafening.

Blood leaked into it, and a bit into her hand. She wiped the blood off on his face and then stabbed his mouth. Just like he would do to her a few years back.

His limp body finally fell with a thud, El wiped her nose and unfroze the people around her before flinging them all against a wall.

She had to take a second to regain her breath, the migraine was making its way in and she had to save energy. And find the man that put her through hell and then some.

Then she snapped out of her revenge-fueled rampage. Suddenly remembering why she was here in the first place.

Levi.

The wooden door was smeared with blood. Mike's blood.

Hopper looked at him from a corner.

One of his nails had come off, his fingers were deeply cut by the thick splinters he had somehow managed to rip out.

If someone came in right now they might as well think Mike was dead.

He was breathing faintly but Hopper was not worried about him.

If he started dying, THEN he would think of what to do.

He was more worried about his daughter but the way the people outside the door screamed, told him she was doing fine.

Mike didn't know if he was awake or dreaming. All he could do was hear the deafening screams for help of the people outside the door. His fingers and hands hurt, and he could see the blood coming out of them, against the large splinters he had gotten into himself in his vain attempt to rip the door open in desperation.

He thought about El, how he wanted to ask her to marry him eventually. Would she survive?

He thought about his son. Would HE survive to go to school? Have friends of his own?

Shit.

Friends.

Rhey were outside, luckily. Not to be traumatized by the carnage ensuing outside the door.

The migraine was pounding against her eyes, but God dammit if she had to whistand a head splitting headache in order to save her child she would, for a thousand years.

The yellow emergency light was enough for her to see forward.

Then she heard it. A whimper. Not an adult sound. No...a child's.

Her pulse quickened even more and her heart wanted to squeeze out of her throat. Her eyes watered as she ran around quietly following the sounds. Pieces of glass incrusted onto her sneakers. Probably gonna be ruined.

Her clothes were smeared with blood.

Blood stains in the shape of fingers, from all the people who had tried to grab her and beg her for mercy.

Her sense of mercy was lost when they locked her up for twelve years. When they made her mamma catatonic. When they stabbed Kali with a cattle prod. When they raped her so hard she would be unable to walk afterwards. When they pointed a gun at her friends...at Mike. When they took her baby out of a car wreck. When they tattooed 012 on his wrist. What even is mercy at this point?

 **She found me, he thought.**

The man in the wheelchair held a gun tight against his hands while also eyeing the child beside him, the wheezing of the respiratory aid stabbing his ears.

The door handle shot out of the door.

The hinges squealed in protest.

There she was. So grown up. So powerful. He was amazed. His Eleven, capable of things he couldn't even imagine.

-'Hello, Eleven'

With a tip of her head, the gun flew off his hands and unloaded the bullets.

-'Let him go'

Straight to the point.

-'Now why should I-'

-'The monster should've finished the job'

Brenner smirked.

-'Oh no, my girl. That's you. A monster. Look at what you've done'

Her watering eyes moved towards the small cot. Ther he was. Head shaved, skin even paler, a bit thinner if that was even possible. Sickly. In need.

-'What did you do to him' she whispered, trying to sound strong.

-'Find his potential. It's curious how he hasn't shown abilities even when we push him to. You could make a wooden cube float by 8 months old—how old is he now? One and a half?...what a waste of your youth I must say-'

El flicked a finger and he and the wheelchair got pinned against a wall.

-'I'm gonna kill you tonight' she muttered

-'Now what for? I raised you for twelve years of your life and as soon as you get out of my protection you go rolling around some dirty kid and get pregnant' his voice was steady. If he was scared, he didnt show it.

-'You raped me...you killed me inside...you took away—my childhoo-'

-'I never touched you, Eleven'

El closed her eyes.

-'You did nothing when you heard me screaming, when they gagged me...when they made me bleed and hurt' she picked up a hazardous -looking shard of sharp glass...a knife in potency.

She had to get this over with as fast as she could to finally retrieve her son.

-'You really wanna stab your Papa? You really wanna kill the man who gave you everything?'

-'You stole my life. It's only fair'

The shard of glass sank into his throat.

Imagine drowning in your own blood.

El remembers how painful it was when Max pushed her into the pool and water got into her nose. Imagine blood.

Papa's wheezing came with sprays of blood everywhere, his nose dripped red liquid. His arms were going limp. And she jumped into action.

When Levi was born, and put in an incubator with lights, tiny needles and oxygen masks, El thought there wasn't anything as helpless and beautiful in the world.

All three and a half pounds of him.

" _Sweet, tiny baby peanut", "Little monster", "my most beautiful dream", "Teeny tiny little man", "the best gift I've ever had"_

A few of the slew of things her and Mike called him all the time. Even one and a half year later.

But now? If Levi was underweight before, he definitely broke the record.

His skin was pale, almost transparent. Eyelids heavy. Head Completely bald.

El felt her knees give in, as she fell while still holding on the tiny cot.

Blood flowed beside her.

Her tormentor was dead. But her worries were just beginning.

How the hell was she supposed to take off all these aids and still have him survive all the way to Owens (who was waiting for them agter Hopper and Joyce informed him of the situation)

El grabbed him in an embrace. It's been too long. Too long since she had felt his tiny hands grasping her shirt. Too long since his little head had scooted to find its way against her warm, safe chest. Too long since she had heard his faint cooing against her ear when she rocked him to sleep every night.

The door managed a creak.

Mike and Hopper looked at it with hopefull eyes. The lock unlatched. Freedom.

Mike was the first to jump up and try to push it open.

It collided with a solid, fairly small thing. A head.

Mike pushed the door further and found several people, dead, their brains bashed in, blood rushing from their eyes, ears, noses and mouths.

He couldn't help the bile coming up his throat and his eyes watering.

Hop held him up by the shoulders. All one hundred pounds of him.

-'T-They're all dead' he gasped for air like someone had punctured his lungs.

Hop couldn't argue with that. Everyone looked quite dead.

 _-'I'm a monster, daddy'_

 _-'You're not even remotely close to a monster Jane. Hey? Look at me...my sweet girl...if anything, you're an angel sent to take care of me, okay? No monster'_

They heard someone's breathing. It sounded like the last breath a wounded person made before dying. Like a deer's last groan before succumbing to its injuries.

Hop knew exactly who it was.

She looked like hell.

Her nose had bled so much the whole front of her shirt was soaked, her arms trembled and her hands had suffered a long, deep injury that was staining the small chil she held in her arms.

-'H-Hold me, please'

El didn't trust her feet anymore but she knew that if she let her knees give in, she could injure Levi.

Mike was in no position to help them right now. Hell, he ciuld barely hold himself together.

El heard his desperate cries, all his worries and stress washing off with thick tears now coating his pale freckled cheeks.

A sad Michael didn't have to be the last thing she saw before she died. Not today.

In the moments she thought about the sweet relief of death, Hop had taken off his thick jacket and wrapped it to create a sling around El's dainty body. He didn't have time to examine injuries so he moved as quickly as he could.

A tear in the deadly silent forest came in the shape of a desperate cry for help.

It sounded as if someone had just encountered their greatest nightmare and was now fighting for their life.

-'WILL'.

That was enough to make Will Byers jolt to his feet and start one of the cars.

-'MAX GET IN THE CAR' Lucas pushed his girlfriend in the backseat while he waited anxiously for El, Mike, Hop and (please dear God) Levi to arrive.

Will's hands trembled and his lips went cold all of the sudden when he realised Mike was the source of the screaming.

It was like someone was ripping his friends' guts out of him and choking him with them. That's how it sounded like.

Instead, Mike a few steps in front of Hopper, his knees were bleeding (he fainted briefly into shards of glass), his hands had bits of flesh missing; **and he looked like he had tried to claw his way out of hell. Not too far from reality.**

-'I CAN'T WALK DAD', Will heard. That made him shoot out running to help her sister, no matter what anyone around him said.

-'EL! EL I'M HERE'

Will didn't realize he was crying. He bumped into Hop's 6ft3 frame and examined his beloved sister.

She was bleeding from way too many places and dhe looked like she was on the verge of dying.

The deafening sound of a _wheeze_ reached his ears. A bulk inside Hop's jacket that was tied around El's torso moved around faintly.

Will's terrified eyes reached hers.

By the time the trio reached the car, Mike had set up a whole little hospital in the backseat of Lucas' car.

He saw flashlights approaching, his best friend (nearly brother) was making sure his girlfriend didn't faint and Hop was carrying the sling now.

Mike ran out and grabbed the tiny little thing in a warm blanket,

-'We have to stimulate his breathing' he tried hard not to stutter or demonstrate how absolutely terrified he was.

Hop tried to give the baby some kind of CPR but Mike pushed him away, -'DO YOU WANNA KILL HIM?! DO YOU WANNA CRUSH HIS RIBS?!'

-'I'LL BE GENTLE GET OFF'

Mike pushed him away even further, and started yelling frantically -'LUCAS START THE DAMN CAR AND LETS GO'

Max hopped in the backseat. Mike had never seen her so disraught and nervous before.

-'What do I do' she whispered,

-'Stimulate his breathing, rub him with this' he handed her a towel and she did as instructed.

Hopper's blood ran cold. He couldn't lose another daughter.

-'Not today'.

Will dragged his sister onto the backseat and started cleaning her wounds while also trying to keep her awake,

-'El, El come on, stop crying'

How could she? Worry and stress still invaded her mind, eating her thoughts, consuming her brain.

Hopper paced around Owens' office.

-'She's been out cold for fourteen hours. What the fuck is going on'

Owens shook his head, -'Do you know how drained she is right now? Do you really wanna wake your daughter up just because you think she's slept enough?'

Hopper laid back into the wall and looked out the window.

-'I thought I was gonna lose three members of my family a few hours ago...'

owens nodded, -'You almost did. Luckily you could get the baby here in time, he was running out of oxygen'

Hop hid his face in his hands,

-'...I know he almost died'

The doctor stared at an empty spot in the opposite wall.

-'Mike's been dehydrated for weeks...he's lost muscle mass, he's at least thirty pounds underweight...I know you thought you didn't have to worry a lot about him'

-'Who—?'

-'Boy was burning with fever when he came in, started having subtle seizures. I honestly feared brain damage'.

Hopper felt like shit for underestimating his son-in-laws bravery. He hadn't asked for him in the eighteen hours they've been under Owens' supervision and now he felt like shit about it.

-'Any other doctor would've told you he had one foot in the casket already...you should appreciate him more'.

' **You're like my brother, Lucas. There's nobody I would trust more with him than you. I know you'll protect him if-if it comes to it'**

A year and a half ago Mike had said those words to him and he couldn't be more terrified and proud.

He'd have to share duties with Nancy.

-'She'll be the voice of reason' Mike had joked.

Now it was happening. He had seen his best friend have five seizures in one hour.

He had seen him be showered with ice water in a desperate attempt to lower his fever.

He had seen him go limp on a bed.

That was eighteen hours ago. And Mike still hadn't even shifted.


	19. NOT A CHAPTER

Not a chapter guys! Bear with me I'm getting through a case of writer's block. I wanna give you a good long last chapter, and then an epilogue (I'm halfway done with that one) immediately after that! I'll write all weekend for you'


	20. Chapter 19

**HI GUYS!**

 **Next chapter will be the last one, and THEN! I'll post a long ass epilogue I've been writing. Hope you like this one! A bit short, I think, but anyway, let me know what y'all think! Last chapter and epilogue coming by the end of the week!**

The nurse noticed Lucas' distress.

-'He's dehydrated, but we'll make him better. His fever went away already...his hands though will have permanent scars'

Lucas' eyes watered,

-'He tried to rip his way through a door'.

The nurse nodded sadly, -'I heard'.

-'What about-what about the seizures?' His throat felt dry,

-'He had a very high fever and was under a lot of stress...I know it looked scary but he'll be fine with the right amount of care'.

Lucas had heard that so many times he didn't know what to believe anymore.

Karen Wheeler sat beside the tiny hospital bed almost in a hopeful prayer.

A pneumonia had set into his little lungs but he was doing better two days later.

She caressed his tiny hands and remebered all the times she used to babysit, teached him how to eat his mashed fruits with a spoon (kind of) and was in the process of luring him out of his pacifier (although she figured that someone who never had to privilege of bonding with their mother through breastfeeding would have some issues leaving the most similar thing to it there was).

She had ripped herself away from Mike's bedside now that Nancy was watching him after he woke up for a few hours.

 _Two hours ago—_

 _Nancy had never seen his brother look so small considering he was 6ft2 and still growing._

 _He had just barely woken up from what may have seemed like a coma, but actually, he had just been laying asleep for more than half a day._

 _Exhaustion bit into Mike's body when Max held him back as he tried to reach Levi's gurney._

 _He didn't gave much of a struggle. The fever caught up to him, and his glass-stabbed knees gave in._

 _Nancy had been there to see her mother and two nurses put him in a bathub filled to the brim with ice chips. The stabbing of the icicles barely made him groan in disagreement. His fever was so high his brain had gone into seizures just minutes ago. Nothing major, but still—it could escalate if his fever wasn't lowered right that second._

 _The ice water tinted red. The blood from his hands and knees dying the surface a little, making swirls of ominous color contrasts against the white tiles._

 _-'I've never b-been so scared in my entire life, N-Nancy'_

 _A stutter? Mike had never stuttered in his life. Maybe his nerves had spiked up so bad he had lost control of basic language pronunciation._

 _Nancy held her brother's hand and sighed deeply,_

 _-'I-I failed, like I always do' tears knotted his throat, making his voice quiver,_

 _-'Mike, you were so brave. So so brave, I cannot believe it' she chuckled, -'Your son is okay, right? He's alive and breathing, he even smiled at dad, trust me'_

 _Mike nodded between tears,_

 _-'H-He couldve died in there, and Nancy you know I wouldn't be able to survive that' ._

El woke up feeling like a train had just hit her.

The last thing she remembers was fainting in Will's arms. And her father's panicked pleas, and something about 'Please don't die on me'.

A shiver ran down her back, she was starting to feel again.

She felt a weight on her shoulder. Her father had nestled himself into her like a little baby. Probably to help him sleep after he imagined every scenario of her demise.

-'Dad' she whispered, making a grab for his stubbly cheek.

Hop bolted awake and craddled his daughter's face

 _-'_ El, oh my god El, my girl, are you okay? How do you feel'

She pouted dramatically,

-'Like a train just hit me'

Hop chuckled, -'Of course baby, of course...wha-how—I mean...you've been asleep for almost a full day'

El nodded and looked up, -'I know...how's the baby...is he-is he alive?' She choked out the last few words.

Hop nodded,

-'Yes, he just has some pneumonia and bruising, but he's gonna be—as okay as can be'

El hugged her father tight, -'I wanna see him dad, take me to him'

Hop shook his head,

-'I'm gonna have to call Owens to come check on you first honey, okay? Just to make sure everything's fine, just a second'.

—-

-'So, a migraine? And some fatigue? Is that all?' Owens looked at the chart that hung over El's bed and ran his eyes through it.

-'Yes' she mumbled firmly while fiddling with the matching bracelet she shared with Mike.

-'Can I see Levi now?' She asked again.

Owens sighed deeply, -'Sure, come on...he's in Mike's room'.

Shit.

Mike.

El has been so busy stressing about the possibility of her child dying, she didn't really thought to stop and wonder how Mike had pushed through. If at all.

Last thing she remembers seeing from her boyfriend was him screaming, his bloody hands clinging to Levi's skin and getting into Lucas' car.s she knew adrenaline would only get his weak body so far.

She felt a bit bad for realising this, but the moment she saw Karen leaning against the little cot holding her baby in it, she forgot all about any other person in the world.

Joyce would often talk about that feeling. Like when she saw Will again after his time in the upside down, or when Jonathan kicked a drunk Lonnie out of the house a few years ago.

El thought she'd felt it before; when a tiny pink-cheeked little thing was placed on her arms a year ago, a feeling that made her forget she had gone through a double surgery a mere two hours before that. The feeling of unconditional love thT flooded every vein and artery in her body, like a wave crashing over her and engulfing her in a sweet embrace.

This feeling was much more than that. Colossal relief. Inmense adoration for the small being in front of her.

El didn't even felt Karen's hand on her shoulders. She just held onto Levi for dear life.

-'My sweet angel, I love you so much-' tears raced down her cheeks with no intention of stopping. Not that she cared. She's been away from her son for two weeks. The worse days of her life.

-'I missed you so much, you know that? You're finally safe with me' she sighed in relief and caressed his back gently.

—

Mike felt like he had just ran a marathon to the moon and back. What woke him up were the cooing sounds of his girlfriend and his son's occasional whimpers for attention.

He turned on the bed to see El comforting Levi in a super soft voice only she could produce. Mike could tell the child was jittery and tense, but melted in his mother's embrace.

-'You're okay, it's your mamma, baby! I got you, I promise'.

Mike wished he could announce his now awake state but the knot in his throat didnt allowed so.

He just flung himself around them and started crying uncontrollably. His family. His and only his. Safe, at last.

El didnt tried to comfort him either since she had started to cry herself.

After a while, Mike finally talked.

-'I love you both so much...without you i'm nothing' he kissed El's head gently and then Levi's cheek, -'You're my whole world, my life and my heart, do you hear me?'

El nodded and let out a sob before holding his battered face.

Gosh.

So pretty. Even when his eyelids were purple and swollen. Even when his cheeks were hollow and pale. Even when his lips were cracked and irritated.

Mike was Mike. A true paladin. She looked down at his hands, covered in gauze. He really had lost two fingernails and skin trying to help her. Her gratitude towards him was inmense. She could only come up with a few words:

-'I love you, Mike'.

—-

-'I'm moving in with them' Mike stated firmly.

He started feeling better after finally eating a full meal. His first in days, maybe weeks.

Hop sighed deeply, -'...Moving? Really Mike?'

The young man nodded, -'I never wanna be away from them again. Especially now that...all this happened...I-I'm

Leaving for Chicago f-for a few weeks and I h-have to be with them'

Hop ran a hand through his disheveled blonde hair (it's been a couple hard days ok? No time to think about looks) and considered it. Mike would be leaving for a six week early college induction during the start of winter break, because of course he was. The little smart ass. And now he wanted to a) Live with El and Levi, and b) take them with him to Chicago.

Hopper's mind ran through every possible scenario in case he let his happen.

Mike living with them? He'd have to help paying for food and water, he and El would have to behave (She already got pregnant though, what else could possibly happen), he'd be El's ride to school, and the most important part was that Levi could spend even more time with his father.

It was only natural now that this all happened that Mike would want to move in with his family maybe permanently. He was just being a good father and boyfrien _d and_ Hopper appreciated the shit out of that.

Hop sat beside the scrawny teenager and laid a hand on his gauzed-up knee. He could feel Mike trembling slightly under his touch. Not because he was scared of Hop, but because he was still going through a days-long anxiety attack that prevented him from beinh fucking normal.

-'You can move in. Of course'.

He heard the young man sigh in relief and saw his eyes water.

-'No crying, Wheeler. Hey, come look at me—'

And Mike did.

His brown eyes looked into the ocean in front of him.

-'You were so brave' He heard Hopper's voice in an echo; -'So brave I cannot believe it. Of course you can be with your family. Who am i to take you away from them'.

—

The issue with the recent massacre at the underground lab was only one thing. The body count.

The lab itself was a well kept secret. The people were not.

El had really outdone herself. Around eighty people worked in that lab, and they were all dead, just out of the blue. Gone.

Owens' team had made sure to wipe every piece of tape or evidence that could link anybody to the sheer destruction that happened. It helped that El fried the wiring of everything, but still, tapes had to be destroyed. And they were—burned in a huge pit with other stuff like the door Mike had tried to rip open that night.

-'Sooo they're sure we're in the clear...they're covering up everything as we speak' Hop told Mike and El, who were staring at him with eyes as big as plates.

Hopper sighed deeply and laid back on a chair,

-'I need rest...and Owens said Mike should get on walking' he pointed lazily at the boy in front of him.

Mike shook his head, -'N-No, h-how can we be so sure this is the right information?'

Hopper held his forehead and sighed deeply,

-'Michael trust me dammit'

Mike's big brown eyes stared at him, only deviating from its target when Levi would reach up for the IV on his father's arm to pull on the tubes.

-'I do trust you, sir, I'm just...' Mike glanced down, -'I'm just scared they're still gonna c-come for us, and I can't-I can't-'

El caressed his arm but couldn't find words to comfort him this time. She was equally scared she would be hunted twice as hard now. Suddenly, Chicago was not scary anymore. It was absolutely necessary.

Papa was gone, she had seen him bleed to death at her feet. She had seen Smith and Allen meet their demise, her face the last thing burned into their eyelids. Who else was out there looking for her? Ready to take her or her family?

Hopper was almost reading her mind right now.

He grabbed her shoulders and looked into her big hazel eyes, which were to the brim with hot tears. Her little nose turned red and her lip quivered.

-'El...I will protect you, alright? Nothing and no one will ever come for you again'

Her eyebrows fell, and she sighed deeply like she was exhausted,

-'You've said that once already, dad...look what happened'

-'You locked me in a room while you went and—

-'I know what I did, dad!' She breathed, holding her son a little bit closer. A little big tighter. Making sure he was a little bit more tucked into the thick woollen blanket. Making sure the oxygen mask was doing its job.

Loving him a little bit more.

-'Now, shhh...behave. Let's not—talk about what we did or didn't do. But El, for the love of god and everything holy, believe me when I say...I'm serious. I'll fucking do anything for you. You know that?' Jim was crying as hard as his daughter now. He reached over and pinched her cheek gently, -'I love you El. You're safe now'.

—

ONE WEEK LATER

—

Lucas, Max and Dustin sat on El's bed, neither of them knowing how to bring someone out of such miserable state.

Mike laid face down on the bed, crying uncontrollably after a nightmare.

-'It's-It's f-fucking d-daytime and I-I'm here c-crying like a baby' he moaned.

The stutter hadn't gone away, Owens had told them it was the effect of the situation on him.

-'What did you dream about, man' Lucas asked him.

Just—faces of people staring up at him while he stepped on their bodies. He remembers slipping in some blood. He remembers fainting into shards of glass. He remembers his fear making him scream like he was being ripped in half.

-'I dreamed about everything-everything that happened, Lucas. I feel like I'm dying' he sucked in a deep breath, -'W-Where's El huh? Where is she'

Max looked at her boyfriend worriedly and back down at Mike,

-'She's in the hospital with your baby, remember...you know this, Mike...she's with Will and Hop—'

-'I want her here though'

-'I know but, she's making sure he's getting the best care'

-'So then why am I not there?!' He said, angrily.

Oh boy.

Hopper's request.

He told Karen he didn't wanted Mike around El or the child before they came home because he would make them even more nervous and afraid.

But Max had to lie.

-'Because you're just, tired okay? They wanna let you sleep'

Dustin nodded -'I visited yesterday, made him laugh and everything. I promise he's

Doing okay'.

Mike sighed deeply and lifted his head from the pillow.

-'Sometimes I feel like I dont wanna live anymore' he whispered with a wheeze. He covered his face with his hands in order to stop the tears from overflowing.

-'I-I'm such a s-shit dad, and s-shit boyfriend, friend, s-son...I let all this h-happen, I-I should've s-seen the c-car tailing us-'

-'MIchael. I swear on the name

Of everything good, if you don't shut up I'm gonna kick your ass. Seriously

Man. None of this is your fault' Dustin held his friends' bony shoulders.

Holy shit, how much muscle mass had he lost?

-'Did you eat today?' He asked,

-'No' Mike responded weakly,

-'It's three in the afternoon. Dammit.

Max, grab my car, go get this guy something to eat. We need to talk to him'

He pointed faintly at Lucas.

Max sighed and nodded before leaving The Hoppers Byers house.

Digging Mike out of his own mental grave was gonna be a challenge they'd have to accept.


	21. Chapter 20 - FINALE

El sighed deeply in exhaustion.

She laid her head beside the hospital bed once again, seeing her baby peacefully sleep thanks to a cocktail of inhalation therapy medicines.

Levi wasn't the same.

He screamed when Joyce tried to hold him but calmed down as soon as his mother took him in her sweet embrace.

PTSD. El thought.

She was so tired, sleepless nights, helping the nurses with his cares (She knew how to handle him better than anyone). Her eyelids felt heavy, her eyes were red and stingy, her skin pale and rough. She also hadn't seen Mike in a week. She didn't know how he'd been doing. How could she have forgotten?

Maybe it's because she had no energy to call, no energy to deal with people or do anything besides eating and taking care of the baby bext to her.

—-

Hopper came into Levi's hospital room just as El was feeding him some kind of fruit jell-o while listening to some observations Dr. Owens was making.

-'Hello big guy, how're you doing?'

The little boy turned away from the plastic spoon his mother was holding and made a weak grabby hand at his Papap. For some reason he liked the texture of Hop's beard so the man would always let him play with it.

El chuckled faintly and sighed heavily, -'He's doing better...just needs a bit of oxygen' she let out a yawn and gave the plastic container to Hopper, who was more than happy to take over his grandson while El listened to Owens' instructions.

-'Have you talked to Michael' he asked the young mother.

El looked out the window and shook her head,

-'I know he's hurt—and I know his depression is gonna come back full force. I don't think I wanna face that yet'

-'He's staying at your house...he blames himself, you know?'

El sat on a nearby chair and played with the bracelets on her wrists, -'I know he does. I wanna help, really Sam. I just CAN'T' her eyes watered when she pointed at her son.

It wasn't only Mike that was carrying a burden. When El closed her eyes all she could see where the lifeless faces of the lab workers staring up at her. The feeling of their blood-soaked hands reaching at her skin, crying for mercy. Crying at her to stop.

She would tell herself then, that it was all for Levi. And it was! But that thought alone wasn't enough to not hear the screaming ringing in her ears every time she tried to sleep.

Owens nodded and sighed, -'...At least he's okay—or, he's gonna be' he motioned a hand at Levi, who had tubes going up his nose, providing him precious oxygen.

El hung her head low, -'How much longer?'

'few more days and he'll be out of here...but...just keep an eye on him. It' gonna be tense for a few days I believe-'

-'He's not leaving the house, Sam' she stated firmly; -'I'm not risking it. I don't know for how long but, he can't be outside—I just wanna protect him, I-I feel like I'm failing him'.

Failing her child was something El had never done.

Owens knew it first hand.

 _-'You're gonna feel sleepy, now, like really sleepy...you can hold your mom's hand if you want, I promise you're not gonna feel anything' he rubbed El's arm, coaxing a sweet chuckle out of her. She was terrified, but excited._

 _Joyce sighed nervously and quicky grasped El's hand,_

 _-'When you wake up El, you'll see your little baby! Good as new!'_

 _He waited for the anesthesia to knock her out, and then grasped the gravity of the situation._

 _It was like operating on a small child. She was really really small and skinny, the only thing out of place was the tiny hint of a belly_.

 _After the first few incisions, Owens saw in the corner of his eye, a very pale Joyce take a seat._

 _-'Queasy, are we?' He asked with a cheeky grin,_

 _-'Only natural when you're butchering my daughter' she gasped faintly, and dramatically,_

 _-'I'm saving her life, and her baby's, we talked about this Joyce, it's necessary' he spoke calmly while his skillful hands snipped their way into the birth of a new life._

 _-'This doesn't strike me as very necessary, Sam' she grunted from her seat beside El,_

 _-'Well...as I am already doing this, I'm just gonna tell you what would've happened—since you deem this completely unnecessary' he suctioned off some excess of liquid and continued, -'The child wouldn't have made it to term either way, her organs are too weak for that, she would've gone into early labor, and the kid would've probably died in her birth canal—trust me, this is the only way this would work...I know you didn't want to put El through surgery but we're saving lives'_

 _She huffed, annoyed, and let the man just do his work._

 _A few minutes later, she heard nurses chuckling and Sam's voice's pitch get higher,_

 _-'Come on grandma, you don't wanna miss this'_

" _i kinda do" Joyce's brain told her._

 _When her sons were born, yes, it was blindingly painful but at least she didn't have to SEE what was actually happening to her body, AND also she hadn't gotten split in half like El was right now._

 _The sight was gruesome but amazing._

 _A very very tiny baby covered in all kinds of goo and slime was lifted off from between the sterile blue hospital gauzes._

 _Finally._

 _Joyce peeked harder and let out a happy cackle, -'AWWW IT'S A BOY, MIKE'S GONNA DIE'_

 _Owens giggled and put the small bundle in the hands of a pediatrician. Underdeveloped lungs inhibited Levi from crying or even gasping for air so he was immediately connected into a ventilator._

The hum coming from El's ribcage was like a healing purr, a caress. So Levi liked to snuggle against his mom whenever she hummed. It was a tranquilizer.

-'You were so good eating all your jelly, baby' she giggled when his little hands reached for her nose, ignoring the pull of the oxygen tubes.

He snuggled close to her and wrapped his tiny baby fingers around the short curls on her nape.

El chuckled faintly and pressed her nose against his soft, pale skin.

Her attention drifted to her father when she heard him arguing with Ted Wheeler on the phone. Definitely not what they needed right now.

" _you can't keep his son away from him because you tell him to, james"_

" _I'll do whatever is necessary to protect them right now ted"_

Fuck. They were arguing about why Mike wouldn't visit. He was in a bad shape, very depressed and anxious but he needed to see his family. Even El knew this; she knew added stress probably wouldn't be good, but Mike was truly miserable. Hopper on the other hand, was not budging. Full on protective mode.

-'I said no, Ted. The child comes out the hospital at the end of the week, you'll hear about me' he hung up the phone and sighed deeply, -'Shit'.

Hopper knew he was being a dick by not letting Mike come, but he just wanted to take care of his daughter. Mike was disturbed. Even more than Sl, and Hopper feared the feeling to be contagious.

Mike was very stubborn, though, so Hopper never doubted the kid would disobey direct orders.

—

-'Mike, come on, you heard your dad' Lucas tried to reason with his best friend as he stumbled around his room, soaking wet and in a towel trying to gather some clothes to go to the hospital.

He wouldn't answer back.

Lucas attempted to not mention his friend's poking collarbones, or extremely pale skin and instead focused on not getting him to leave,

-'It's just til' Friday man, I-'

-'Lucas if you say another word I'm gonna punch you, for real' Mike said, trying to sound intimidating while he slipped on a shirt and a jacket straight after, -'Who the fuck is Hopper anyway to tell me what I can and not do?'.

Before Lucas could argue too much, Mike ran out the door and into Karen's car.

-'LUCAS' she called for her sons' friend,

-'Yeah?' He responded, winded,

-'Where the hell is Mike going? I was making dinner and-'

-'To visit El'.

 **Knock knock knock knock knock —**

Levi startled awake in between El's arms. The sudden knocks on the hard wood of the hospital door startling him.

-'I thought visits were limited' El whispered, trying to

Make the child sleep again,

Hopper grunted and got up to open the door,

 **Knock knock knock—**

-'I'M GOING!'

When Hopper opened the door, the first thing he felt was a punch to his nose,

-'WHAT THE FUCK, MIKE' he heard El scream. Oh. So Mike threw the punch.

His first reaction was to push back, which made Mike's body collide with the wall behind him.

-'THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOURE DOING, MICHAEL' he growled back. The young man's cheeks were wet with tears but he was trying not to sound like he was crying,

-'You can't keep me from seeing my family, Hop! I'm fucking staying, I-'

Mike heard El sobbing in the background trying to get the baby in her arms to not get too disrupted and that's when Hopper HAD IT.

-'THIS is what I fucking meant, Mike! You're making them upset! Get the hell out of here-'

Mike pushed him away and kneeled before his girlfriend and son.

El extended a shaky hand towards his face, caressing the familiar feel of the softness of his pale skin, watching his freckles dance as his expressions changed,

-'Michael I SWEAR-' Hopper grabbed Mike's wrist in an attempt to pull him away. It was for sure gonna bruise but Mike didn't cared,

-'I need t-to be here for you two' his voice was weak, but his intentions were firm and absolute.

El ran a hand through his damp hair and motioned at him to sit beside her.

-'Dad let him go, we need to talk'

Hop was just—

-'I'm staying. You can talk all you want, but after this? YOU have to leave' he pointed at Mike like he had committed a fucking crime.

Mike nodded and sat beside El, then proceeding to examine his son carefully,

-'How is he doing-' was the first of many questions.

After a while of questions and answers, something hit Mike like a truck.

-'I'm leaving for Chicago in two months' he breathed,

Hopper rolled his eyes and sighed deeply,

-'What for now?' Hopper's voice thundered in the quietness of the dimly lit room.

Mike started explaining that he was admitted to an early introduction program at the Chicago Institute of Technology. The dean himself had chosen him from a long list of candidates for a full scholarship in the engineering program; so, for six weeks and with full authorisation from the schoolboard and teachers, Mike was to leave for Chicago and get a taste of his future.

Hopper was not impressed.

-'You're not taking them. Not after just happened'

El looked down and tried to ignore Mike's inquisitive gaze. Felt like treason.

-'You really thought I would let my daughter and my grandson go with you, to another city for six weeks? Ah Wheeler I thought you were smart'

It was something Mike couldn't argue against. It wasn't happening.

El didnt wanna leave Hawkins either. She felt safer under her father's surveillance and that was understandable.

Mike could tell it wouldn't be smart to talk right now so he just limited himself fo fiddle with Levi's fingers, carefully skimming through his skin without waking him up.

This Chicago trip was his future. The college of his dreams had OFFERED him an early look into his life after school. He had to go.

-'I didn't expect you to let them go' his voice broke, his eyes welled with tears as he faced this harsh reality.

-'I love you, El'

El looked down at him and nodded, -'I love you too, Mike'

-'We are gonna be fine...'

the girl smiled unsurely before Hop's hand grasped Mike's bony should r. Time to go.

—-

2 WEEKS LATER

—

El threw her backpack on the back of Karen's small van and got into the copilot seat while she waited for Mike to talk to their pre-calculus teacher.

Something about "getting more homework to catch up on grades".

While the conversation between teacher and student went on, Mike took out a red apple from his bag, as if remembering he had to snack on something.

The incident of weeks back had left Mike in shambles both emotionally and physically.

He would be extremely clingy, get very flustered when El wasn't around him, and he had to see Levi every single second he was in his presence.

Hopper had allowed the young man to stay with them for a while, it wasn't like a permanent thing either, so he and El

Could cure each other's anxiety.

Karen watched Levi from 8am to 3pm, always promising she would report during lunch to tell El and Mike how he was doing.

The child was recovering from an overwhelmingly difficult case of pneumonia, and also from the neglect he was put through in the lab. He would sleep for hours straight and then get fuzzy when too many people were around him.

Karen greeted Mike and El with a huge smile (that hid a bit of sadness and worry. El could always tell).

-'Hi, how was your day?' She asked; the question obviously directed at her son,

-'Fine, I talked with Mr. Ramirez, he gave me some assignments so I can catch up with the class, it's just two weeks worth of work so I should be fine'

Karen nodded and turned around to catch El going into the living room and grabbing the one year old off the couch.

The woman sighed and approached the teenager,

-'He did good today, better and better every day' she smiled a tiny grin and stayed to watch them interacting.

Mike entered the space, a bowl of mashed potatoes and pulled pork in gravy in his hand. His cheeks blushed when the huge smile he produced reached his eyes

-'Levi' he sang, while sitting down next to his girlfriend and son. El followed him with his eyes and smiled at the hefty plate of food he held.

-'You're eating' she said, like it wasn't the most normal thing in the world.

-'Yeah, it's my favorite!' Mike responded, knowing damn well why El sounded so surprised.

 _ **You're eating after weeks of not doing so. You're eating something other than soup. You're eating, trying to not get yourself in the hospital. You're eating, you wanna get better for us. You're eating, you wanna get strong enough again. You're eating, you wanna be the best version of yourself. You're eating, you wanna start moving forward.**_

-'Gotta finish fast, I got three middle schoolers and one freshman coming for classes' he sighed deeply and shoveled a spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.

-'FOUR tutoring classes today baby? You sure?'

Mike nodded,

-'Middle schoolers are all the same topic, freshman is just chem...10$ an hour each, it'll be good for us! I'll put it in the piggy bank'

Her heart wanted to flutter out of her chest. He was so—dedicated, even after all they've gone trough. He was so attentive and responsable it was fucking insane.

—-

The pack of middle schoolers (Hannah, Sophie and Johnny, the usual three that had gotten help from Mike since last year ), erupted into the Wheeler house, making the child in Mike's arms to startle a little bit.

-'Jesus christ you fucking cave animals, do you not see I'm trying to get him to sleep?!' Mike whispered harshly while he put the bottle up to Levi's lips again,

-'Shouldn't the mom be doing that?' Hannah spat, putting her backpack on the dining table,

-'Guess what, smartass, she has homework too, that's why she's upstairs'—

Johnny sighed deeply and came up with a witty comment,

-'I don't know how miss Karen allows her into your room after you knocked her up last year'

Mike raised an eyebrow,

-'I'm gonna tie you to the back of my car and drag you all across town and then into the quarry if you say something like that again, are we fucking clear, Johnny?'

-'Stop giving him attention, Wheelie' Sophie grunted while opening up some notebooks,

-'You guys are lucky I even let your stupid asses come in here any more', Mike responded before moving Levi into a semi-sitting position in his lap,

-'Okay, you guys were talking about binomials, right?' .

—-

Few weeks later

—

Hop, Joyce, El and Will nursed their respective mugs as they heard Sam Owens speak.

-'Everything seems to be in clear, but I'd advise the child to avoid outdoors activities for a while. Maybe a few months, ok? For the greater good'

El nodded rapidly,

-'He's been staying at the Wheelers while I go to school, as you know...he's always safe'

Owens nodded,

-'I understand Mike is leaving for Chicago in a week? Is that right?'

El's eyes watered. Shit.

She didn't want Mike to leave. Not because she was trying to keep him from achieving his dreams, but because lately their bond had grown so strong it was nearly painful to let him go every time he would drop her off at her own house.

-'Yes' her voice broke and Hop laid a hand on her shoulder while Will assured her verbally.

-'I'm gonna send some of my guys to watch over him. Well trained people...he'll be safe-'

El wasn't entirely worried about his safety. She knew he would be careful. It's just—at this point Mike was her other half. She fucking loved him fiercely and more intensely than before, especially after seeing the kinds of sacrifices he was able to endure to keep his family safe.

-'I'm just scared' she whimpered, putting a hand up to her face to try and hide her sadness,

-'Scared of what, baby?' Joyce asked gently,

-'Just—-losing him, I guess' she choked out, before fully crying in Hop's arms.

Then Owens understood.

 **I saw him get so close to death, I don't want him to go over that threshold.**

-'It's gonna be okay, Jane' he said firmly.

Will held her chin and made her look up into Sam's grey reassuring eyes.

-'Okay'.

—-

A WEEK LATER

—-

Mike's tears fell freely out of his brown eyes and into El's woollen shirt shamelessly.

It was the night before he had to leave for Chicago.

He was hugging her tight outside of the Byers-Hoppers porch.

-'I don't want to be without you' he sighed into her neck and she sobbed back,

-'I know...I'm gonna miss you' she sniffled and cuddled tighter into him, -'Just hold me up, you're gonna get tired of leaning down for so long' she chuckled sadly.

El hopped up and wrapped her legs around his waist and he pressed her against a pillar,

-'Better' he sighed in relief; -'I'm gonna miss you too, El...I love you so much'

-'I love you too...thank you for being so good to me—to us'

Mike wiped his tears, -'Gosh are you for real? You guys are my family...my blood, my whole soul—I'm going to Chicago to seek for a better life, for all of us'

El nodded gently and held his face, like trying to remember every single detail about him.

How his eyebrows had thickened, how his skin was even frecklier because he was out in the sun again, how his eyelids didn't seem as heavy anymore, how his lips didnt seem as dry and cracked.

Her train of thought was interrupted by his deep voice.

-'I have something for you' he whispered, a cherished secret.

Now he had her full attention.

-'Yes?'

Mike pulled a small box out of his back pocket.

Oh fuck. Was he asking her to marry hi-

-'I'm not proposing, El' he chuckled, knowing exactly what she was thinking, -'I'll do that when it's time' he winked, and opened the box.

Two thin rings sat side by side.

-'These are promise rings' he explained. She seemed confused.

-'We promise each other things and then wear them as a symbol of it'

Her eyes watered again. Fuckkkk.

-'So El...I promise to always protect you, and Levi. And be there for you, and take care of you, and gosh—I'll fucking adore everything about you til the day I die, and maybe even beyond that...you're my other half, baby'

He motioned at the box and El got the message. She slid one of the rings on his left ring finger.

-'Mike...thank you for being so amazing, I promise to always go through everything with you, that be hardships or absolute bliss. I love you, and I'll always be your other half'. A smaller ring was added to her already growing collection.

Promise rings.

El smiled through the tears. She had never felt more sure about anything (except maybe when she had to decide to keep her baby one year ago).

Mike kissed the top of her head.

The future seemed less scary with his family by his side.

 **THE END.**

 **Epilogue coming this week.**


	22. EPILOGUE PREVIEW

EPILOGUE - FYHA

2.5 years later

Fuck alarm clocks, was the first Mike Wheeler thought when the unholy thing on his bedside table started going crazy.

6;30am.

He drew in a deep breath and blindly made grabby hands at around the place where El's chest would usually be.

Nothing.

Hmmm.

Oh. Right. It was Thursday.

El had the night shift and she wasn't back yet.

-'Jesus fuck' he sighed sleepily and let his upper limbs dramatically shoot out into stretching.

-'Deezus foh!' He heard a tiny voice exclaiming from the threshold of the door.

Mike groaned loudly,

-'Nooo Levi, you know you can't repeat the bad words I say, what have we talked about?'

He tried to sound authoritative but it instead came out as a whine, since he was still too asleep to activate dad mode right now.

-'Sowwy, da-ddy'

-'That's better' a yawn escaped his mouth, and he made his way into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Ever since Levi mastered the art of walking, he had followed Mike everywhere he allowed him to.

Like right now.

Toothpaste foam hung from his mouth as he felt a pair of sneaky hands clinging around his leg. He was so used to it, it stopped startling him about a year ago.

-'Hey' he mumbled, looking down at his son's bright green eyes,

-'Aaaaah' the child responded before pouting and darting his tiny arms up.

Mike chuckled and lifted him up on the bathroom counter.

He bit on the toothbrush so it wouldn't fall off his mouth while he gave his son his own.

-'Dn' ead dee doodpazte' he said, between brushes.

Levi copied his dad as best as he could, then rinsing his mouth.

Mike inspected the little being before him and wiped off his small face. He smiled charmingly,

-'You almost got it, my boy!'

Seeing a tiny being that resembled his twenty year old self was surreal. Still to this day.

Sometimes, in mornings like these, when El was still catching up on some well deserved sleep, he would look into his son's face and try to count the freckles, try to count every eyelash, every stroke of hazel in the irises of his huge eyes.

Mike washed his own face afterwards and made sure no stubborn baby hairs had decided to sprout on his chin this time. They hadn't.

He held Levi up and made him to into his own reflection,

-'Alright kiddo! A handsome morning it is! Let's get cleaned up, big day today!'

Big day indeed.

After being rejected by a few schools in Chicago due to his numerous health necessities, Levi and his parents had managed to get an interview in a midrange school 20 minutes outside of the main city, where they lived in a tiny two bedroom flat along with two Guinea Pigs.

At first El took the rejections as personal offenses, going off on the principals saying they were discriminating and "I will fucking sue", luckily Mike was always there to ground her, "Let's not", he would whisper.

Even after El said she could get out of her shifts at the hospital for an hour to give him oxygen therapy, the schools refused, saying it was too much of a bother.

On top of it all, they had to deal with the judgmental glare of the school boards.

Not like they were not used to them.

Chicago was a tricky thing. A place of black and white. Never grey.

They could go to take a walk as a family one day and get dirty looks darting from the eyes of judgemental old people because GOD FORBID, a young woman wears a crop top ( _proudly sporting a scar across her stomach)_ and short jeans while taking her son out to feed the pigeons on a plaza; as well as they could watch Levi play with other children in the park behind their apartment buildings.

People like Mrs. Nora and Mr. Claude, who would call El a "slut" whenever they thought she was out of earshot. And people like Tanya, who let Levi and El marvel at her long braids of thick black hair with a welcoming smile on her face.

Chicago had a lot of things. Not all of them good, not all of them bad.

El noticed though, all the looks and whispers, if there ever were any, were directed at her. Never at Mike.

Was it because Mike dressed differently? Was it because he presented himself older than he was? More presentable? If anything, Mike was as quirky as El.

Both of them spent endless hours on the weekends just having movie marathons, both of them accompanied their homemade burgers with some beer once in a while, both of them dressed Levi in Star Wars merch shirts, both of them were total dorks. So why did El get all the hate?

Right. Because a father dressed in a polo shirt and jeans looked better than a mother wearing a crop top and thigh-lenght denims while taking the child out to play.

El was a "slut", a "shame", a "dumbass", a "burden for the country", a "bad mom".

Mike was not.

Mike himself had always wanted to fight anyone and everyone who looked at her wrong.

He remembers the first time he got detention in school.

It was El's second day in high school.

 _-'History sucks a little bit, but I'll be okay' the fourteen year old girl chuckled, holding Mike's hand tighter, they were on their way to the cafeteria to meet their group of friends._

 _El was enjoying being around other kids. A few girls have been nice to her in math class and she thought it meant she was up for a good start._

 _Mike helped El open the tupperware thingy his mom packed for them both._

 _-'It's meatballs and sauce. You like that, remember? My mom told me to share some with you' he smiled wide and she nodded, dipping a piece of white bread toast into the red sauce._

 _Lucas teased her with an EWWW sound, to which she glared at him but couldn't help a chuckle as soon as he made a funny face at her._

 _El then started on the meatballs. Table manners werent her forte, so she just held one of the pieces of food between her fingers instead of using the plastic fork Mike was offering her._

 _A bit too focused on her food, El (or anyone else really) caught the two juniors walking by. They grimaced in disgust (Their expressions were so exaggerated El might as well could be eating horse shit, really! She had just forgotten to use a damn fork), and chuckled before slapping the back of her head and muttering "retarded animal" loud enough so the whole table could hear._

 _El hadn't even registered the blow when Mike had already stood up._

 _He knew talking to the guys who just called his girlfriend a retarded animal would be in vain, so he went right for the face._

H _is boney knuckles hit the side of the blonde one._

—

The child looked around, seeming lost or disrupted

-'Where's mamma?' He asked, green eyes searching for El.

Mike let the kid walk around, -'Mamma's working, we'll see her soon though!'

-'An-an den you wohk too?'

-'Yup! That's how it works, little man...but first we have school, right? Remember we talked about that last night?'

The kid nodded excitedly,

-'So we need a good breakfast so you can be your smartest self! Come on!'.

After thirty minutes of struggling through breakfast, showering and getting the kiddo into the back of his 1980 BMW (Mike acquired a taste for moderately nice cars), they hit the road, knowing it was gonna be a mildly long car ride.

Ten minutes in, and he sighed deeply, -'I can't remember if I changed the fucking rats' water...shit'.

After another minute on the road, and being stuck in a jam, Levi started asking questions. He fucking loved that. It reminded Mike of El, when she was like thirteen and fourteen. Always asking, always curious and he was more than happy to oblige.

-'Da-ddy why is dee sky bdue'

-'Because the sun reflects more blue light into the earth, and it bounces off as blue, or soft blue sometimes'

-'Oh...'

Mike chuckled and looked back at the kiddo in the child's seat,

-'Any more questions?'

-'Nuh uh, jusd dat...denkiu'

-'You're welcome'.


	23. Chapter 23

EPILOGUE - FYHA

 _ **EPILOGUE TIME YALL! This is super long thats why i took aaages! I'm sorry! Hope you like this! It's mostly all fluff but it does have a bit of angst and a LOT of bits from the past! :) tell me hwo you like it in the comments! I now can focus on continuing 'tough love tough life' ilysm'**_

2.5 years later

Fuck alarm clocks, was the first Mike Wheeler thought when the unholy thing on his bedside table started going crazy.

6;30am.

He drew in a deep breath and blindly made grabby hands at around the place where El's chest would usually be.

Nothing.

Hmmm.

Oh. Right. It was Thursday.

El had the night shift and she wasn't back yet.

-'Jesus fuck' he sighed sleepily and let his upper limbs dramatically shoot out into stretching.

-'Deezus foh!' He heard a tiny voice exclaiming from the threshold of the door.

Mike groaned loudly,

-'Nooo Levi, you know you can't repeat the bad words I say, what have we talked about?'

He tried to sound authoritative but it instead came out as a whine, since he was still too asleep to activate dad mode right now.

-'Sowwy, da-ddy'

-'That's better' a yawn escaped his mouth, and he made his way into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Ever since Levi mastered the art of walking, he had followed Mike everywhere he allowed him to.

Like right now.

Toothpaste foam hung from his mouth as he felt a pair of sneaky hands clinging around his leg. He was so used to it, it stopped startling him about a year ago.

-'Hey' he mumbled, looking down at his son's bright green eyes,

-'Aaaaah' the child responded before pouting and darting his tiny arms up.

Mike chuckled and lifted him up on the bathroom counter.

He bit on the toothbrush so it wouldn't fall off his mouth while he gave his son his own.

-'Dn' ead dee doodpazte' he said, between brushes.

Levi copied his dad as best as he could, then rinsing his mouth.

Mike inspected the little being before him and wiped off his small face. He smiled charmingly,

-'You almost got it, my boy!'

Seeing a tiny being that resembled his twenty year old self was surreal. Still to this day.

Sometimes, in mornings like these, when El was still catching up on some well deserved sleep, he would look into his son's face and try to count the freckles, try to count every eyelash, every stroke of hazel in the irises of his huge eyes.

Mike washed his own face afterwards and made sure no stubborn baby hairs had decided to sprout on his chin this time. They hadn't.

He held Levi up and made him to into his own reflection,

-'Alright kiddo! A handsome morning it is! Let's get cleaned up, big day today!'

Big day indeed.

After being rejected by a few schools in Chicago due to his numerous health necessities, Levi and his parents had managed to get an interview in a midrange school 20 minutes outside of the main city, where they lived in a tiny two bedroom flat along with two Guinea Pigs.

At first El took the rejections as personal offenses, going off on the principals saying they were discriminating and "I will fucking sue", luckily Mike was always there to ground her, "Let's not", he would whisper.

Even after El said she could get out of her shifts at the hospital for an hour to give him oxygen therapy, the schools refused, saying it was too much of a bother.

On top of it all, they had to deal with the judgmental glare of the school boards.

Not like they were not used to them.

Chicago was a tricky thing. A place of black and white. Never grey.

They could go to take a walk as a family one day and get dirty looks darting from the eyes of judgemental old people because GOD FORBID, a young woman wears a crop top (proudly sporting a scar across her stomach) and short jeans while taking her son out to feed the pigeons on a plaza; as well as they could watch Levi play with other children in the park behind their apartment buildings.

People like Mrs. Nora and Mr. Claude, who would call El a "slut" whenever they thought she was out of earshot. And people like Tanya, who let Levi and El marvel at her long braids of thick black hair with a welcoming smile on her face.

Chicago had a lot of things. Not all of them good, not all of them bad.

El noticed though, all the looks and whispers, if there ever were any, were directed at her. Never at Mike.

Was it because Mike dressed differently? Was it because he presented himself older than he was? More presentable? If anything, Mike was as quirky as El.

Both of them spent endless hours on the weekends just having movie marathons, both of them accompanied their homemade burgers with some beer once in a while, both of them dressed Levi in Star Wars merch shirts, both of them were total dorks. So why did El get all the hate?

Right. Because a father dressed in a polo shirt and jeans looked better than a mother wearing a crop top and thigh-lenght denims while taking the child out to play.

El was a "slut", a "shame", a "dumbass", a "burden for the country", a "bad mom".

Mike was not.

Mike himself had always wanted to fight anyone and everyone who looked at her wrong.

He remembers the first time he got detention in school.

It was El's second day in high school.

-'History sucks a little bit, but I'll be okay' the fourteen year old girl chuckled, holding Mike's hand tighter, they were on their way to the cafeteria to meet their group of friends.

El was enjoying being around other kids. A few girls have been nice to her in math class and she thought it meant she was up for a good start.

Mike helped El open the tupperware thingy his mom packed for them both.

-'It's meatballs and sauce. You like that, remember? My mom told me to share some with you' he smiled wide and she nodded, dipping a piece of white bread toast into the red sauce.

Lucas teased her with an EWWW sound, to which she glared at him but couldn't help a chuckle as soon as he made a funny face at her.

El then started on the meatballs. Table manners werent her forte, so she just held one of the pieces of food between her fingers instead of using the plastic fork Mike was offering her.

A bit too focused on her food, El (or anyone else really) caught the two juniors walking by. They grimaced in disgust (Their expressions were so exaggerated El might as well could be eating horse shit, really! She had just forgotten to use a damn fork), and chuckled before slapping the back of her head and muttering "retarded animal" loud enough so the whole table could hear.

El hadn't even registered the blow when Mike had already stood up.

He knew talking to the guys who just called his girlfriend a retarded animal would be in vain, so he went right for the face.

His boney knuckles hit the side of the blonde one.

—

The child looked around, seeming lost or disrupted

-'Where's mamma?' He asked, green eyes searching for El.

Mike let the kid walk around, -'Mamma's working, we'll see her soon though!'

-'An-an den you wohk too?'

-'Yup! That's how it works, little man...but first we have school, right? Remember we talked about that last night?'

The kid nodded excitedly,

-'So we need a good breakfast so you can be your smartest self! Come on!'.

After thirty minutes of struggling through breakfast, showering and getting the kiddo into the back of his 1980 BMW (Mike acquired a taste for moderately nice cars), they hit the road, knowing it was gonna be a mildly long car ride.

Ten minutes in, and he sighed deeply, -'I can't remember if I changed the fucking rats' water...shit'.

After another minute on the road, and being stuck in a jam, Levi started asking questions. He fucking loved that. It reminded Mike of El, when she was like thirteen and fourteen. Always asking, always curious and he was more than happy to oblige.

-'Da-ddy why is dee sky bdue'

-'Because the sun reflects more blue light into the earth, and it bounces off as blue, or soft blue sometimes'

-'Oh...'

Mike chuckled and looked back at the kiddo in the child's seat,

-'Any more questions?'

-'Nuh uh, jusd dat...denkiu'

-'You're welcome'.

Two minutes later and Levi was dead asleep. It was amazing how fast he could fall asleep.

Mike looked back at his son and sighed,

-'You know I hate waking you up, why do you do this' he whispered before getting out of the car to collect the kid from the other side.

While he was fumbling his spidery fingers ("Biomedical Engineer hands, El. Not spider fingers!") with the safety belt around his son's belly, a huge navy blue Chevrolet truck parked beside his silver sedan.

Ever since Hopper had gotten a new truck and given El his old one, she had turned into such a show off.

-'We know you can park inside the yellow lines, El' he chuckled while still struggling with the thingy,

-'Listen Michael, I'm 5ft tall so the fact that I can do that in this big ass truck IS an accomplishment', she pulled the stick into P and turned off the engine.

Mike turned around and wrapped his arms around her waist, -'Good morning, babe'

-'Good morning, handsome' she stood on her tip toes and kissed him deeply, -'How did you two sleep?'

-'Good, he slept all through, no issues'

El smiled and pinched his freckled cheek,

-'When I woke up I literally extended my arm and tried to grab your boob but you weren't there' he pouted and El smacked him hard,

-'You're a dummy' she gasped, and looked behind him at her sleeping baby,

-'Awwww...I don't wanna wake him up' she sighed deeply in dismay,

-'Let's not then! We are half an hour early either way'

The 19-year-old girl nodded, -'You're right' she was nervous they would get rejected once again.

Mike tried to distract her from the subject.

-'Nice scrubs. You look very sexy'

El looked down at her sea green outfit and rolled her eyes, unable to hide the faint blush on her cheeks

-'It was such a fucking hard shift, I SWEAR. Night time is even WORSE'

Mike held her hands,

-'Tell me all about it honey, you know I love hearing what you did'

El shot him a crooked grin and stole the little carton of juice her son was grasping in his sleep,

Sipping from it and letting Mike lift her up under her armpits and on top of the hood of her truck.

Mike stood between her knees and caressed her bracelet-adorned wrists and hands, paying special attention to the silver wedding band on one of her fingers,

-'Soooo a fucking kid bit me' she started, showing her husband a slightly purple bite mark on the inside of her forearm,

-'What theFUCK?! Why?!' He asked, alarmed,

-'I had to draw blood from him! And the little shit just bit me! I took the sample anyway, I didn't care' she rolled her eyes and passed a hand through her short curls,

-'THEN. At around three, shit was going slow, I even had time to eat the mac you made. It was good' she blushed, -'BUT! Of course calm only lasts so long'

Mike was ready for her to say "Someone came in with a gunshot wound and they had me help the doctors" or "someone had to have their arm taken off" or some shit,

-'This woman came in, in full blown labor and her water broke on me...ON ME. Mike! I was-I was SOOOOO done'

Mike couldn't help but double over in laughter, -'ON YOU?! HOWWW'

-'Shut up! I was trying to get her on the bed and BOOM. My fucking teacher was laughing at me' she rolled her eyes and sighed, -'I told her I wanted a raise after this, and even the damn woman laughed at that—I just think my teacher THINKS that because I have a kid and I obviously have given actual birth, that I know EVERYTHING and can handle kids biting me and women just shooting their body fluids at me'

Mike caught his breath, -'I'd honestly think you'd be more than fit for the job, kiddo',

El sighed deeply -'Listen, after my dad made me stay with Joyce while she gave birth to Henry two years ago, I'm hardly impressed by anything anymore but THIS! Was like something from a movie, I swear'

El pouted her lips at him and hugged him tight, -'I guess just need some sleep and ugh...needed a hug from you'

-'Me? My bony, sexy physique? My varsity track-running nerd dad bod?'

-'Dad bod? That's Hopper' she mumbled into his neck, -'You smell good...you been using my soap?'

-'Shhhit El, can't a working class good man smell like coconut and caramel?'

-'Absolutely. It's good' she smiled and took a wild curl off his forehead,

-'Now! Let's get this child up and in action!'

-'Hi I'm Jane Wheeler nice to meet you'

El extended a small hand to the intimidating-looking teacher,

-'Jane...you're Levi's sister? I made it clear that it was imperative that the parents came'

Mike frowned and sighed, fuck.

-'I'm his mom...'

The woman just looked at her up and down.

A dainty, 5ft tall, 95 lbs girl, dressed in aqua green scrubs, a thick woolen purple jacket on top, an ID card hung from the hem of her shirt. Chicago, Illinois General Hospital — Jane Eloise Wheeler (a dull masking tape was used to cover the "Hopper" after she married and changed her name to Wheeler) — Nursing Assistant—Intern unruly short curly hair (a few dark purple strikes dyed on it) sat at the top of her head, a little button nose, one too many ear piercings and—was that a tattoo on her wrist?!

-'And I'm his dad'

Okay, so now a tall (6ft4 maybe) thin, lean guy with a mess of midnight black curls in stark contrast of his pale as snow skin, cheeks and nose blanketed with freckles.

His eyes were a deep brown, big and kind, like they wanted to teach you the wonders of the world. He was wearing a striped button-up (weird choice?) and an ID card hanging from a lanyard adorned his neck. Chicago Institute of Technology Hospital — Michael T. Wheeler — Biomedical Engineer assistant.

Shit. Were these really kids?

Mike leaned against Ms Robinson's desk and subconsciously pulled up his sleeves.

Ms Robinson tried to suppress a gasp when she saw Mike's forearms.

Those days of cutting himself after El disappeared all those years ago had left thin white marks across his already pale (almost transparent) freckled arms.

Mike noticed the woman flinching a little but decided not to pull down the sleeves. He had learned how to embrace them one night when they had just moved to Chicago, with El on top of him, kissing every line and scar tissue along his wrists, her soft naked breasts brushing against his peach-fuzz arm hair, her legs tightening their hold on his waist.

Ms Robinson diverted her glare to the black haired, green eyed child.

He was just precious.

-'Okay...and this is Levi I suppose?' She kneeled to meet the little boy's eyes.

He was biting abstently at the straw that stuck out of a carton of soy milk,

-'Good mohnin' he whispered and waved shyly,

-'well what an educated little man are you?'

El smiled gently, -'Say thank you baby'

-'Denkiu, miss'.

—

-'Okay so tell me, why have they rejected him in other schools'

The teacher had the parents seat in the preeschool classroom their son would be in if he got in. Mike took one glance at the small chair, knowing his extra long legs would suffer if he sat on that, and opted to seat on the floor and caress El's ankles instead.

-'Well' the young mom started, -'He-He has some health issues, you see...and he often needs oxygen therapy for his lungs...he was born with it, it's kinda like asthma but worse'

The teacher nodded, -'And they didn't wanna take charge'

-'No! Even when I told them I could get an hour off work to help him...they just rejected him' her eyes were watering, Mike moved his hand to her thigh,

-'Baby it's okay...come on'

The teacher watched attentively. Not judgmental anymore but rather curious about this peculiar family.

-'for how long have you two been married?'

6 months back

FB

-'Can't believe dad is staying for a whole week' El smiled as she walked hand in hand with Mike theough the busy Chicago streets,

-'Yeah, I appreciate his help with the kiddo and stuff...it gets exhausting sometimes'

-'Happens when I work all night and you work all day'

-'And then take care of the baby...I adore him but it's still hard' Mike admitted.

And hard it was.

El would work as an assistant nurse in a busy hospital, side by side with one of her nursing school teachers after she hired her when she saw how El applied her knowledge into her sickly son.

Mike got a paid internship job with a biomedical engineer at a smaller, quieter hospital.

Both jobs were enough to make ends meet for them and their kid so they were willing to sacrifice and go for it.

-'where are we going by the way?' El asked curiously

-'The shore! I got a bonfire for us. I know how much you like Eggo smores'

El gasped and gripped his arm right, -'Baby! You didn't!'

Mike chuckled and kissed her head, -'Of course I did! You're my girl, right?'

The young woman blushed and buried her face into his coat, -'I love you' she said, words coming out muffled.

-'I love you more'

-'Not possible'.

Mike's lips were sticky with gooey marshmallow when he spoke,

-'So how do you like Chicago?'

El took a sip of her water because "These smores are sweet as hell, I'm thirsty"

-'I kinda love it to be honest...except the bone crushing cold, I don't really like it'

Mike chuckled and shook his head,

-'I like it too. We have good jobs and I think Levi is happy...much more places to go and see than Hawkins...'

-'Yeah, I agree, babe'

Mike sighed heavily and his lip quivered nervously,

-'So you wanna stay here forever?' He asked, hoping that his voice didnt came out broken.

El looked up at the star blanketed sky. The stark contrast of deep blue and silver specks was amusing to her even after all this time

-'I sure do' she whispered, directing her glance at the city lights.

Mike nodded and held her hand, -'I have something for you, El' his hands were shaking, and not from the cold.

She looked at him and admired his delicate face.

He opened a small box, a shiny charm in the shape of a moon twinkled back at her,

-'Open the bottom of the box' he whispered. Shit. His voice was failing already.

A silver bracelet was revealed and her eyes watered,

-'What's this? Why?' She asked, she just couldnt believe someone would take the time to go, and buy her something so pretty.

But then again, Mike had given her the greatest gift ever. Being able to love and raise their son together.

She was so glad he didn't come to Chicago alone ("I'll send you guys money"). No. She wanted her little family to be together.

-'Why?' Mike chuckled, his grin widening even more, -'Well...for being my only love. For finding each other back in '83. For saving my life so many times. For not letting your dad hang me when we told him you were pregnant', El blushed and covered her face, -'For being amazingly smart, warm and kind. For caring after Levi since he was in your belly. For being a teacher to our little bugger...for following me into Chicago...I would've gone crazy without you here' he took the bracelet and tied it around her wrist, -'...You're the love of my life, El. The first amazing thing that happened in my life—God, I'm so inlove with you, every time I look at you after a long day I remind myself of why I sacrifice and work so hard...I just want you and the baby to have the fucking world, because it's the least you deserve', El was trying to hold back the tears but it was giving her a headache,

-'Mike' she whispered weakly,

-'You're my moon, my sun, my stars and my galaxy, El...and I wanna be with you forever, is that okay?'

The girl wiped away the damn tears and nodded silently, she wished she could answer back but the knot on her throat would not let her.

She could see sincerity in Mike's eyes. Those deep browns she adored.

Mike took a deep breath and kneeled in front of her,

-'Jane, would you marry me and be my universe forever?'

A drowned and small, but firm yes escape her mouth and she tackled him into the sand, attacking him with kisses.

—-

Their wedding picture consisted of El (dressed in a knee-length pastel pink dress, her short curls kind of straightened and swept to the right side, the fringe held by a cute hair pin) and Mike (wearing a white shirt with a navy blue suit jacket and pale pink bow, his hair was a controlled chaos) laughing under an arch of sunflowers, daisies and baby rose blooms. Jonathan tried to take a cute, traditional picture but instead, El pinched Mike's behind at that second, and well...it stuck.

Karen had adorned the Wheeler's lavish backyard with shiny christmas lights and numerous flowers everywhere.

In the center of the improvised venue was a double portrait.

One of El and Mike in the 1984 Snowball, Mike enveloping her twelve year old shoulders with a warm yet slightly awkward hug and one of the same couple with under the Chicago city lights in Christmas.

Their smiles were so wide, like nothing could've broken their bliss.

Hanging all around the trees were polaroids of Mike and El and the party and of course, their Levi.

Polaroids of incredibly precious moments.

Levi's first Halloween when he got dressed as an ewok.

Levi's first time meeting his father (Mike hated showing that picture because, in his pale face, it was super obvious he had cried like a wussy).

Levi's first birthday, with Max and Lucas smudging his little face with cake icing playfully.

Levi and Dustin when the teenager got him to try nougat (Needless to say, the child had hated it and Steve had managed to snap a mid-spit candid).

Levi watching Will draw, while trying to eat a crayon (Two hands intervening in his actions. Probably Joyce trying to lift him up and take the crayon off his hands).

And the most precious one, of Levi and his parents in the middle of moving to their tiny Chicago apartment. Their first real home.

He was only wearing some kind of underwear/diaper mesh, Mike was trying to assemble a coffee table (the only actual table they had for the longest time, until Ted got fed up and gifted them one of those long, plastic outdoors tables) and El was snuggling the small child in her arms.

END OF FB

-'Like four and a half months' El said, trying to think exactly of the date,

Mike nodded in agreement. The teacher winced,

-'We've been together for—since we were thirteen, and well, I was twelve though' El remarked, seeing that the woman thought they weren't a stable household,

-'Yeah, I'm a year older ' Mike clarified.

Mrs. Robinson continued with the interview, although El felt like it was more an interrogatory.

-'So where do you guys live?'

-'Above the pizzeria on 25th and the park behind the projects' El said bluntly.

It wasn't the nicest place in the Windy City but fuck, how much space and luxury could a young couple, a baby and two guinea pigs need?

Answer was: Not a lot.

Levi's room was large enough to fit his tiny bed, a wardrobe, a night table and a box of toys.

El and Mike's could hold a double bed ("King size mattresses are fucking expensive, El, so you gotta stop sprawling like a starfish"), two little nightstands, a vanity, a drawer and a little closet. It all fit a bit crammed, but they made it cozy.

The living room wasn't much either, a long plastic picnic table with a tablecloth and a vase of flowers, four wooden chairs, a decent couch, a Home Depot coffee table and scattered ornaments and family pictures, but they had a nice big window which gave them a good view of the main road, carpeted floor (which sometimes it would smell of pee because of The "DAMN RATS" as Mike called their pets).

-'So yeah, I work and I study—we both do, actually' Mike said, fiddling with El's hands, -'It's hard but we truly are trying to do our best for our child and we wanna make a name for ourselves'

The teacher nodded. They looked genuine.

-'So Jane, this schedule thing with his therapies...you're gonna take the day shift?'

El nodded, -'I already talked to my supervisor, he's okay with it...Mike's gonna take the night shift then-'

-'How do you even have time for each other?' Mrs Robinson asked, baffled.

FB

Mike threw his portfolio on the coffee table by the kitchen counter and sighed deeply.

-'11pm, in-fucking-credible', he poured himself some water and walked into the bedroom where El was watching TV, a small bundle of blankets scooted against her side. She looked up and guessed his mood by the look on his face.

-'Bad day?' She asked, trying to sound sweet.

-'I got a B, in that project I worked so hard on...'

el pouted and shot her arms out to hug her husband tight.

-'I'm fucking exhausted' he snuggled into her chest and felt like crying. But nope.

-'Come on, watch The Terminator with us'

Mike frowned, -'You had Levi watching that thing?'

El chuckled, -'Absolutely, now come'.

He laid next to her and their kid, she lifted his ringed finger to her lips, then joining his with hers.

-'I love you. You're smart. You're in honors class for a reason, okay? I know it's hard and you're tired. Hell I'm tired too...but we'll figure it out and make it work ' she grinned, holding his face and falling in love all over again.

Mike nodded and laid his head on her warm chest. She caressed his hair and started humming so the vibrations coming from her ribcage could soothe him, maybe.

-'You take your meds today?' She asked quietly. She knew how Mike hated taking anti depressants but it was necessary.

The boy nodded and looked up.

He leaned in and kissed her deeply, -'I love you' he whispered, caressing her bare stomach and teasing the little piercing hanging from her belly button, -'This thing' he muttered like a grumpy old man,

-'Looks cool, stop being like this!'

-'Like what?' He moaned, still playing with the thing,

-'...So cute'. The TV's blue light was the only thing bouncing against El's face and Mike knew she was blushing.

Her tiny hands started unbuttoning his shirt. He always managed to fucking stain them with grease from the machines he helped fix, or sauce from El's chicken raviolis, or maybe just juice his son found funny to spray in him right before he left to work. This time was some colored thingy. Coolant liquid.

Mike never recovered fully from the twenty pound weight loss two years back. He lost a lot of muscle mass, and with that, his collarbones poked back full force. So now when El would slide her cold hand against his skin, she could still feel a lot of his bones.

-'Am I?' He teased, poking her side playfully, then slithering his hand up under her shirt, to rest comfortably against the soft cup of her bra.

El chuckled, careful not to wake up her sleeping son and dragged Mike's face up.

-'I love you...look at you, you're so perfect...I can't believe I married you, you know that. Every day, I get to sleep right by your side, and Jesus, Mike...that's the best feeling in the world'

Mike wiped away some tears and hovered over her, he grabbed her face with one hand and kissed her furiously.

She returned the kiss just as eagerly, feeling his hand tighten his grip where he had it. She had to pull away for the sake of decency. Dammit, their kid was sleeping right there!

-'You really don't care the kid's sleeping inches away from us, don't cha?'

-'Not when you look this hot in a muscle tee and tiny shorts, no'

El blushed and rolled her eyes, he had the absolute power to make her melt, turn into silly putty, fall backwards completely in love.

Mike giggled and kissed her cheek,

-'You're perfect'

-'We are' she responded, pointing at the little bundle beside her;

-'And for you guys I'll do anything'

The girl chuckled and stared at her husband getting emotional.

-'I'll be a licensed nurse soon, and-and you'll be a full blown engineer and most likely a college teacher, and our little sweet pea will go to kindergarten and we'll get a bigger place...'

-'That's the plan, Ellie. I wanna do all that, with you. All of it'.

She smiled. She trusted him so much. See, he could've turned his back on her when they learned they were to become teenage parents (Not because he was afraid of Hopper. Mike really has never been scared of him).

She trusted him the moment he said 'let's do this' at the tender age of 15 and 16.

What El also remembered so vividly is that moving to Chicago brought them the only real fight they've ever had.

El was supposed to be at the pharmacy / grocery store with Levi buying food for the week and his medicines, since pay day had just passed. El had filled up the truck's tank, saved away money for their savings account (as per usual) and then the rest of it was going to other necessities.

Mike didn't expect El to come home crying, shaking and holding their son so tight his skin swelled with red fingerprints.

He jumped up from the small couch and went to her,

-'El? El what the hell happened? Why are you crying?!'

El gasped for air and swatted his hands away,

-'I wanna move'

Mike frowned. They literally have been in this part of Chicago (not the nicest one) since they moved six months ago.

-'Move? Why-what happened?' He observed the kid in her arms bury his face against the crook of her neck,

-'I-I was just coming out of the fuc-fucking groceries witj EVERYTHING, all t-the food and his medicines and-and SHIT, why did I let it happen?! I could've snapped their necks with the flick of my pinky, w-why-'

-'...Someone robbed you?' He held her shoulder and caressed her face gently.

El let herself fall on the couch,

-'They pointed at us with a gun...I begged them to at least let me keep the medicines, they'd be no use to them! Right?!'

Mike sat on the couch beside her and buried his face in his hands,

-'B-But they said I had to give them everything...and-and I...GOD, I let them point at MY kid with a fucking g-gun—so they took everything Mike, all the food, his meds, my remaining money, all of it...'

mike closed his eyes and tried not to lose it.

It's been a long ass day and this was the cherry on the pie.

-'Baby, we can't move right now'

El stopped ranting and just stared at her boyfriend (at the time)

-'...What the fuck does that mean?!' She yelled, quite shaken still.

-'Means we don't have money to move right now, it's just logic—plus remember we are saving up to get Levi to school soon-'

-'Mike...I was pointed at, with a gun. My child was pointed at with a gun. Do you NOT care about it?! REALLY?!'

Now she was yelling.

Mike's jaw dropped.

-'...Has anything I've ever done implied I don't care?' He sighed in defeat. Wow he really was never good enough. Hi, depression.

-'Mike—'

-'i put myself in the line of fire for you when I was twelve. I called you for a whole year without even knowing you were alive or not, because I love you. I—I took care of you before AND after Levi came. I fucking worked my ass off so we could be good...I saved up money to come move HERE—and I don't care?'

El wanted to scream. She went to put the baby on his cot before coming back into the dimly lit living room.

-'Always logic with you, huh? Always numbers and possibilities and maybes...THINK about your FAMILY, Mike, GOD you're so fucking selfish sometimes, I wanna lea—don't CRY!'

She could hear him sniffling and sobbing like he had just been stabbed.

Sometimes El could get very angry and stressed. Being the pillar of a whole household at eighteen put an immense amount of pressure on her, especially because she had a lot to learn about the real world still.

-'Don't cry Mike! Jesus, this is what you always do, I'm over it, you always try to turn this around on me!'

But that wasn't the case. Mike wished he could hold his ground like he did a few years ago. When he was not prone to depressive episodes. When he wouldn't cry when someone raised their voice at him. Whn his brain wouldn't tell him he was a shit father and even shittier boyfriend for letting this happen and not being able to fix it.

El had called her dad that night.

-'Daddy, I need money' Mike heard her sob into the phone.

-'I-I got robbed and—-they stole all our food and Levi's medicines and—yeah. No, no, we're both okay, they just-they just took our things...yes, the baby's fine, I'm fine, I promise—mhhm...direct deposit?' She sighed deeply in relief, -'Okay, thanks daddy and I'm sorry—yes, you can come this weekend if you want. Ok, I love you too dad'.

END OF FB

-'We manage...there's always a way we spend time together...' Mike explained, a tint of exhaustion suddenly showing through his voice.

Mrs Robinson nodded understandingly,

-'Okay so, now we're gonna go to questions about Levi, right?'

El nodded and squeezed Mike's hand,

-'I wonder how he's doing in the aptitudes test' she voiced out loud,

-'I'm sure he's being wonderful' the teacher replied in a warm tone,

-'So, what can you tell me about your son, guys?'

El blushed and couldn't suppress a joyous chuckle,

-'Well, he's almost four! And he's very very smart and curious, and super kind and loving...we technically—like...My life was kinda hard for the first what, twelve years of my life before I went to live with my dad back in Hawkins, and I never knew what it was like being treated with such love before then' she looked down at Mike who was playing with the green shoelaces on her sneakers, -'So we — Mike and I— promised each other Levi would grow to be loving and every thing good in this world'

Mike nodded and smiled to himself,

-'He's curious about everything, I think he's gonna like science too—'

Mrs Robinson nodded and wrote on a note pad,

-'So how is he with other kids?'

The couple started thinking long and hard,

-'Well, sometimes when he's not bothered with allergies we get him to play with the kids from the 5th floor and, I mean, he looks like he has a good time...he's a little shy—(Has had PTSD since the age of two after being kidnapped for two weeks and put under inmense stress, therefore creating a sort of clingy nature on him) —but he gets along fine enough for a kid his age, I believe...when we go back to Hawkins he always plays with my little brother, and with Mike's sister who is like, nine'

The older woman nodded,

-'And have you thought about maybe—giving him a little sibling at some point?'

Mike buried his face in his hands with a dramatic sigh/laugh, El rolled her eyes at him, and turned to the teacher,

-'Even if we wanted, I can't—I had to have a hysterectomy after he was born so...he's really our one and only'

-'Oh-Oh...I'm sorry for asking-'

El found amusing still how people got flustered so easily, apologising for stupid reasons, -'It's fine'

-'So' the woman continued, -'You guys live here alone?'

-'In Chicago, yes. Our families are in Hawkins, which is really just like a three hour drive or something?',

Mike nodded lightly and let El explain further,

-'I lived with my dad in Hawkins, and then he got married again, so when I had Levi ee had all moved in together...like, it was my dad, two brothers and my dad's wife, who is like—a fucking ray of sunshine from above', El chuckled at the memory of Joyce, -'Then Mike moved in, and holy hell the house was crammed as hell' she giggled, -'And THEN when two years' ago my stepmom got pregnant'

Mike chuckled -'Oh Lord what a shit show'

El agreed silently, -'So then I had to move to Mike's with Levi before the baby was born-'

Ms Robinson smiled, -'Oh joy! Weren't you happy to have a sibling?'

El smiled -'Of course! And you know, as I helped my stepmom go along pregnancy and stuff, I felt like I was learning more on...maybe how to deal with Levi, like I was practicing, sort of?'

Ms Robinson grinned and nodded her head solemnly,

-'I know the feeling'

-'So then little Henry was born and booooyyyy' El rolled her eyes playfully, -'Mom went back to work like two weeks after he was born and I had to babysit, it was hard as hell'

Mike nodded and held her hand, -'And now every time he visits, him and Levi are like...a duo Of hyperactivity and none of us can catch up'

Two Years Ago

FB

El was laying back on the living room couch while reading a book and enjoying the sweet spring breeze seeping through the windows.

Mike was back at his house busy tutoring some freshmen (making money), Joyce and Hop were working and Will was on a date ("You little shit, I want my freedom too")

So now she was at the Byers'-Hoppers' with Levi and also watching her little brother, one month old Henry.

She popped a Cheez-It into her mouth and basked in the peace, knowing her two-year-old was sprawled out like a starfish on a mat in Henry's room, and her baby brother had just fallen asleep after Joyce breastfed him before leaving for work again.

After having read two chapters of the damn biology and anatomy book in her hands, she decided to check on the children.

Levi was indeed laying messily on top of a soft floor mat, his growing black hair in contrast with the baby blue fabric. His bushy eyelashes brushed against the numerous freckles across her face, and El felt her heart make flips. He was so perfect.

She kneeled beside the kid and buried her nose against his hair, -'My sweet sleepy bug'

After the gentle greeting, she saw him stir, so she offered the child his paci, which he accepted without much fuss, and El stayed to watch him close his eyes again.

-'Time for some more bio then'.

After about half an hour, the Supercomm beside her came to life.

-'El?' It was Mike

-'Hi baby, what's up. You done?'

Mike nodded but remembered El couldn't see him.

-'Yeah, I'll be there to pick you up at like, 5pm, is that okay? I just have to put all the books and paper away, these kids always leave a god damn mess'

El chuckled,

-'You sound like you're 80 instead of 18, honey'

Mike hummed, displeased,

-'How's the little buggers behaving?'

-'Oh perfect, theyre both sleeping right now, although spending time with Henry makes me feel a bit glad that I'm not able to have any more kids'

Mike snorted and rolled his eyes,

-'He IS a handful—'

His words were interrupted with the very familiar sound of a small baby screaming (bless those first nights with Levi),

-'Shit' El mumbled, -'I'll call you later, gotta see what's up'

-'Ok, cool'

El closed the antenna and almost fucking tripped trying to reach Henry's room

To see what the hell was going on.

Levi was poking his tiny arm across the bars of the crib, the newborn screaming because his sleep was disturbed . El sighed deeply and grabbed her brother in her arms,

-'Shhhh—Baby, it's okay...just go back to sleep, how about that?'

Gosh this kid looked so much like her dad. All blonde hair, and even blonde eyelashes and bright blue eyes.

-'Mamma' the toddler held her leg, showing a bit of jealousy,

El frowned, -'No, you were so bad! Why did you woke him up?'

-'Boooop' he poked her knee and pouted,

-'Nuh uh, no booping, you were bad, Levi-' the squirming child yelled in her arms and scooted himself toward her chest,

-'No no no, hold on there young man, I'm not your mamma—are you really hungry again?' She rolled her eyes and turned on the supercom with a flick of her pinky.

Mike heard the mayhem going on the other side and chuckled.

-'Here, here, here take this while I tend for Henry, come on' she put a baby bottle between Levi's hands in hopes that he would stop wimpering after his mother had reprimanded him. It worked. For a bit, at least.

-'What even is going on' Mike asked,

El held her temples, -'Henry's crying, your son woke him up so I scolded him and now Levi's crying too'

A loud 'MAMMA' was heard through the supercom and Mike's ears rang.

-'Hey, don't yell at me young man, you did wrong! Now sit down and finish your milky' El carried Levi all the way to a chair and settled him in while she went to the kitchen with Henry screaming bloody murder right into her face.

-'You're awfully loud, Henry' she scrunched up her nose, chuckling a second later because that phrase was the first thing she ever said to her little brother. As soon as he was delivered, the kid had made it his mission to drill into everyone's ears, and maybe even through the walls of the delivery room. While Joyce and the nurses had been unimpressed, El wasn't used to such intense crying so early on, especially because her own son hadn't been able to cry for the first month of his life . And now was no different. Four weeks later and Henry James Hopper was still loud as ever.

END OF FB

So we get visited pretty often anyways...especially by Lucas and Max' he looked up at El and chuckled at her eye roll,

-'Lucas and-'

-'My best friend and his girlfriend, who is also our friend. If that makes sense' Mike says quickly, -'Lucas and I been neighbors since we were babies so...we are like blood, but they take really good care of Levi, most of the time'

Mrs Robinson raised an eyebrow,

-'Oh so...you leave them in charge sometimes?'

El dhrugged, -'Two months ago I think, Mike had to have his appendix taken out so, imagine the drama—'

FB

-'El, Ellie I'm fine, please I don't have to go to the hospital, come on baby-'

-'Mike I swear if you keep crying at me like that I'm gonna let that appendix burst and kill you! I'm trying to call Lucas to come and take care of—'

-'HE'S THREE HOURS AWAY'

-'Everyone we know is three hours away!'

El waited while the phone rang. Her pulse was all the way up and adrenaline was rushing through every bone in her body. Sure, as a nurse assistance in a busy ER she had seen a lot of weird and dangerous shit, but this was her husband being sick now...this was her husband sweating through his hoodie, begging in delirium to not alarm anybody...dhe felt two arms wrap around her leg. The little boy was all dressed for sleepy time. It was supposed to be a normal evening/night, until Mike stumbled into the small apartment soaked in a debilitating fever and "some kind of pain somewhere under his stomach". Of course Levi just wanted to sleep and showed it by getting clingy and whiny.

El sighed deeply and lifted him into her arms, urging him to curls his arms around her neck for support, -'I know you're sleepy, thing- LUCAS?! LUCAS IT'S ME'; the yelling into the phone put the baby into more stress and made him start to cry.

Lucas showed up at the hospital five hours later, dragging a sleepy, grumpy Max behind him,

-'Come ON, Maxine! Jesus-'

-'I just woke up, okay? And I'm hungry' the redhead protested with a pout.

El got up immediately but carefully, trying not to wake the baby that slept in her embrace. She looked done as fuck.

-'What the hell happened?' Lucas asked quietly,

El sighed, -'He came home with a fever and pain...he didn't wanted to come...I told him it was appendicitis—you know how stubborn he is...then I drove here and he was passed out already, and now he's in surgery'

Lucas rolled his eyes,

-'When he wakes up I'm gonna kick his skinny, pasty white ass'

Max chuckled like she was drunk and leaned over his shoulder, -'Do not fear m'lady, we will take care of your small spawn'.

Michael Wheeler was probably the funniest person ever under the effects of anesthesia and Max and El felt blessed to have such comedic misery in front of them.

A day after his surgery and Lucas had taken Levi for some breakfast downstairs and Max and El had stayed with the nurse trying to make Mike take a shower.

He was deadass crying and slurring things about "please don't see me naked".

Max was crying with laughter and El was breathless before she decided to step it.

"I'll-I'll take care of him, thank you Mary"

The woman rolled her eyes "he's difficult as hell!"

-'Tell me about it' El chuckled and went into the bathroom.

He recognized her immediately.

-'El! El please don't see me naked, I can do this on my own!'

El surpressed the need to laugh,

-'Mike, do you know who I am?'

Max yelled from the other side of the room "I don't think he does!"

El shook her head, and saw Mike looking confused as hell,

-'El...you're El'

The young girl let out a laugh,

-'I'm your WIFE, Mike! We literally have a kid together, I've seen you naked before'

He started pouting and his eyes watering, -'B-but I'm so skinny...and...and pale and pasty and there's-there's FRECKLES. ALL over the fucking place! I-I-'

El rolled her eyes and held his bony shoulders still,

-'You're perfect. I love every freckle you got, and every bone I can feel when I cuddle you, ok? Now let me wash you, you stink'.

END OF EB

-'So yeah, they take care of him from time to time'

The teacher nodded, -'Tell me more about his health condition, I'm a tad bit curious'

El nodded, -'well...he was born like eight weeks early because the doctors thought I was at risk of dying if we waited any longer and due to that, he has weak lungs and he needs oxygen ever day. It's called bronchi pulmonar dysplasia and it really takes a toll...on him, and us' she looked down at where Mike was sitting, he was nodding,

-'Because well—We worry a lot...He's the reason I went through with being a nurse ya know? When I got pregnant at fifteen I thought it was gonna be too hard but...I never gave up, and I think it paid off'

-'Fifteen. Jesus Christ'

Mike rolled his eyes. He's heard that one too many times.

El lowered her gaze and Mike noticed.

-'Chin up' he whispered. A thing he told her way too many times four years ago.

FB

'People stared at me today' she sighed while setting down groceries with Hop.

Mike looked up from his videogame match with Will, which allowed the latter to kill him in the game.

-'Who?'

-'I don't know, some old people' she shrugged and made sure Hop didn't accidentally bumped her 18 weeks pregnant belly with some bags,

-'Dad almost punched them' she chuckled sadly, to which Mike jumped on his feet and walked to her.

-'People look at me too. I know they whisper things about me...but hey, El. Chin up' he held her face and made her look at him.

-'They're nobodies. Nothing but idiots who only know how to judge other people. So chin up, always, okay?'.

El took a deep breath and nodded, -'Chin up'.

END OF FB

—

Hawkins was unforgiving of young parents.

El started loving Chicago the day she, Mike and Levi attended the Mother's Day parade; a celebration involving hundreds of thousands of roses and mothers of all ages, sizes and races.

FB

It had been a warm day in May, and El enjoyed how her mustard yellow sundress played between her knees, how her salmon jacket shielded her from the sun and the gentle cold breeze. Levi had his legs wrapped around Mike's torso while he waved at every stranger he could.

Mike smiled and held El's hand tight.

-'It's your day!' He said, -'We're getting an Eggo Ice Cream Monster after this'

El smiled up at him and kissed him gently,

-'Thanks baby'.

Some street performers and volunteers went around giving roses to each mother.

For the two years el had been purposely ignored during Hawkins' mother's day celebrations. This year was an exception. A new city. A new mentality.

A friendly-looking mime with a bunch of yellow roses in his arms spotted her.

He approached the small family with a smile and silently bowed dramatically in front of El before handing her a rose. Levi giggled in delight and El took the flower gently,

-'Thank you!' She waved goodbye at the man and her eyes instantly watered.

Mike got concerned,

-'El, what-'

El shook her head and smiled,

-'I'm happy, I'm-it's the first time someone gifts me something like this in Mother's day. I'm so used to people in Hawkins ignoring me because I'm-I'm too young, I-this means a lot to me' she whispered, pointing at the rose in her hand.

Mike hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head,

-'You're the best mom ever, El...you should be celebrated every day, okay?'

END OF FB

El felt tears prickling around the corners of her eye but rubbed them away furiously.

-'Being fifteen back then didn't take away the wave of love, devotion and adoration I felt when they put Levi in my arms so...I think I'm as good a mom as any thirty year old'

She was a bit angry and tired of people still judging them.

—-

Back in Hawkins, people would still stare and whisper when they saw all three walking by on Sundays outings; the little gremlin usually up on his dad's shoulders while his mother answered his every question, making mike chuckle proudly.

They would stare when they would enter a coffee shop for a snack, they would stare when Mike and El would take the baby to small, tame outdoors garage band festivals.

-'As well as being sixteen didn't stopped Mike from sleeping for weeks at my house, taking care of me and a baby AND doing chores while I recovered from childbirth...didn't stopped him feeling the same adoration I still feel...WE still feel' she held her husband's hand tight and shrugged her small shoulders,

-'I just want—' she stopped to think, -'I just want our son to have an education. A good one. He's smart, it's just...a part of him gets in the way of most people...teachers don't want more responsibilities or a burden in the classroom and I get it, but we are ready to make even more sacrifices so he can grow as a fairly normal kid. That's all we want' she looked down at Mike who was fiddling with a leather bound bracelet with their names on it.

—

Suddenly, the tiny classroom's door opened and a smiley woman entered it, Levi trailing behind her while holding two lollies.

Mike smiled wide and opened his arms to get a cuddle out of his son.

-'Awww, big guy! How was it? Did you have fun?'

Levi nodded and buried his face into his chest,

-'Oooh are those lollies? Does that mean you were good?' El tickled his belly and the little boy beamed uo at his mother,

-'Sure was!' He answered, sounding like a little old man.

The woman gave the teacher a report of the tests Levi had done. Her smile said everything.

-'Okie!' She clapped her hands to get the attention of the little family in front of her,

-'Everything is looking good, but now I would like to talk to Levi! How's that sound'

The boy nodded eagerly while opening the lolly clumsily.

El made sure the kid wouldn't stab himself with the damn stick first before paying attention to Mrs. Robinson.

-'Baby, you have to pay attention now' Mike put him on his lap and tried to

Make him focus, -'This nice lady will ask you some questions okay? Easy ones'

The kid thought for a second, -'Easy? Pwomise?'

-'Yup, I promise!'.

-'Me has two guiiiineeee pigs' he held up two little fingers while El took the lollipop out of his mouth so he could speak better,

-'Levi, we talked about this. It's "I have"' Mike held his tiny hands and the kid nodded,

-'I have two guinneeeee pigs...I-I wanted a doggy but daddy said NO because-because he doesn't wanna clean pooooopies'

Mrs Robinson chuckled and looked at the couple quite amused, -'Is that for real?'

FB

-'A dog, El? Really?'

-'Yeah! He could use a pet'

Mike rolled his eyes, -'I'm not getting our son a dog, I'm not cleaning anyone's shit, and Levi's already potty-trained!'

El rolled her eyes, -'Okay, how about...a bird'

Mike shook his head, -'I don't wanna clean a big ass cage, no is no'.

The next weekend, the small family was walking around the mall just looking for things to do before grabbing a bite.

Levi was stumbling cutely trying to catch up with his mother's pace, who on her part was trying to not get left behind by Mike's long strides.

The little boy glanced into a glass window where a bunch of hamsters ran around.

-'Mmm' he stopped in his tracks and tried to talk over his paci.

El stopped in her tracks and pulled Mike's hand, -'Oooh' she cooed at the small rodents on the other side of the window.

Levi pointed up at the hamster cage and looked back at his dad with a pleading gaze.

-'D'you like those, baby?' El smiled as Mike held Levi up so he could see the hamsters better.

Levi nodded and smiled, -'Mhhm'

Mike frowned and took out his paci,

-'You wanna go inside and see them?' He asked reluctancly.

-'Baaaaby, look at the Guinea pigs' El pouted while pointing at a cage with four fuzzy rodents roaming inside of it.

-'Rats' Mike spat back, half amused to see his wife deflate at his remark.

-'Noo, too cute to be rats' she remarked, while also keeping an eye on their kid who was checking out the fish,

-'What if we get fish, babe? He seems to like them'

Mike chuckled -'I am not cleaning a tank. Also? Tanks are expensive...no fish'

-'You are sooo cheap, ain't cha?' El smiled up at him and hugged him by his waist,

-'You bet...'

levi approached the cages with the Guinea pigs and smiled as well. It didn't helped Mike's case that his son's smile resembled his mother's.

-'What' he asked dryly.

His son's big green eyes looked up at him,

-'I like deese'

-'Good for you, kid' he sighed, sounding a whoooole fucking lot like his father-in-law.

El frowned, -'Don't be mean, he's a baby' she rolled her eyes and smacked him,

-'I'm not being mean, it's just—rats, El?'

The young girl shrugged and ran a hand through her son's dark hair while he looked further into the cages, his eyes going even bigger when one rodent approached him thinking he had food in his tiny fingers. The little boy let out a long squeal of joy and surprise when the animal pressed its whiskers against his index finger,

-'Daddy wook what he's doin'! He likes me'

Oh dear Jesus. Mike couldn't resist. He just took the sight of the happy child in. Dressed in a shirt a tad bit too large on him, some soft fabric short pants, some blue sandals, his untamable mane of black hair waving around El's fingers, and his sun kissed cheeks and nose...holy shit. Levi really had Mike's heart wrapped around his tiny pinky finger.

Mike sighed dramatically and ran a hand through his own midnight black hair.

"Fuck" he whispered,

-'Okay, so he likes you huh?'

El shot him a smug grin. One that said "I knew you'd fall".

-'Yeaaa! Look how he's tickling my finguhs'

El chuckled and went to get someone that could show then the Guinea pigs up close.

The pet store assistant put a black and white Guinea Pig on El's arms.

Levi laughed and pointed, -'Mamma's new baby', he said with a huge smile on his face. El knew exactly what he meant with that ("Mommy's gonna take care of the pets while I just cuddle with them sometimes").

-'No no, I only have one baby and that's you!' she pressed her index finger to his freckled nose, -'If you want a pet, you have to take care of it, okay? Are we clear?...Daddy says he's gonna get us the piggies if you're good and promise to care for them'

Mike was shaking his head behind El when the assistant put a tan guinea pig in his palms.

-'Daddy, your new baby!', his son called.

—

The rest of the afternoon had to be spent at home, among boxes of cheap Chinese food and with the sound of Mike assembling the cages.

El and Levi were wiping down the rodents clean because Mike had grumped "Damn them if they make Levi's allergies flare up, Jane".

Hours after his father had put together the cages and the hay and feeding devices inside of them, Levi asked El to use the phone.

-'Mamma, I call Papap and talk about Cow and Dog'.

Yes, their kid had named his animals after other animals.

El had chuckled but gleefully dialed the Hopper house phone.

Needless to say, Hopper responded with a grunt mirroring Mike's indignation about the furry new pets.

END OF FB

-'But he wanted two—so that's how we got two Guinea pigs in one day'

Mike commented, while Levi chuckled mischievously,

-'My papap says they're just wats-rwats-RATS' he sighed after finally pulled the word out of his lips,

-'Your papap seems like a grumpy person'

ms Robinson said, both playfully and curiously,

-'Oh nooo he's so sweet, like a beyuh'

El let out a laugh, -'He means a bear. Dad's 6ft4 and probably 200 pounds so we call him bear'.

El remembered the day Levi was born.

Hopper had tried not to cry but it was fucking useless. Seeing this tiny tiny ball of pink chub sleeping peacefully in a cot made his knees weak. It had been hilarious back then.

She also remembered when she came home one night, and a three-month-old Levi was wearing the way-too-big knitted hat Flo had made him while he peacefully slept against Hop's arm; some violent gangster movie playing on the TV before them. Absolutely adorable.

It wasn't a secret that James Hopper was a huge, dumb softy when it came to his grandson.

FB

-'Why do I have to babysit again?' Hopper sighed as he looked at Levi, who was taking out some dinosaur toys out of his tiny backpack,

-'Because-' Mike started explaining as he ran around the tiny apartment looking for a god damn TIE, -'El and I have a conference we gotta attend for professionals in the field of medicine and health and-'

Hopper frowned -'Y'all haven't graduated yet!'

El shrugged and sprayed some hairspray into her short brown curls,

-'The hospitals invited us so—we're going! Plus I get to wear this cute dress'

The buzzer rang and Joyce's voice filled the small living room, -'Let me in guys, I'm loaded'

Mike went to press the button and let Joyce into the building.

A minute later and Joyce stumbled into the apartment with a one-year-old blonde child in one arm and three plastic bags in the other,

-'Gee, don't help me please I'm doing just fine!' She said sarcastically.

Hopper got up from the couch and grabbed the bags from his wife, gently caressing the light blonde hair on his son's nape.

-'What'd you brought baby?' He asked from the kitchen,

-'Chicken and some garlic bread and a salad I think—'

El came out of her and Mike's room and took the child from Joyce's arms,

-'Hello little thingy! How've you been?' She kissed her brother's rosey cheeks and let him play with the collar of her pale blue dress, -'Look Levi, Henry's here!'

Levi looked up from his dinosaur collection and squealed in delight,

-'AAAAAAHHHHH' he let out a high pitch scream and ran to his mamma trying to reach the baby in her grasp, El grinned and leaned down,

-'Be careful, remember he's just a baby' she reminded her son.

Mike came out of him and El's tiny bedroom with his button up shirt on and his pants almost falling off his hips.

-'I still find it hilarious that this one year old kid is Levi's uncle-like ACTUAL uncle'

Joyce let out a giggle while she took out the paper plates from under the sink,

El turned around from her squatting position on the floor and frowned, -'Nice purple undies baby, go get your belt'

-'Yeah Mike, listen to your wife, I used to pull down nerd pants in the hallways back in the day'

Joyce slapped Hopper in the shoulder,

-'You were such a damn bully, I really don't know how we were friends'

Mike rolled his eyes and went to put on a belt,

-'Joyce you weren't very nice to begin with—'

-'Still!'

-'You still agreed to marry me, and you let me make love to you and you let me get you pregnant, and then you gave birth to my son, so who won?' He said with a smug grin on his face,

Joyce rolled her eyes and squeezed his hand lovingly before starting to cut some chicken for the babies.

El was too busy kissing Henry's ruddy cheeks when a surge of jealousy took over Levi and he started making a scene.

He held onto his mom's dress and pulled at the hem of it, making her almost lose her balance.

El frowned and tried not to yell, -'Levi, stop it! You're being mean' she grabbed his chubby arm and led him to the couch, -'I'm spending time with Henry, will you behave?! Jesus-'

Hopper sighed and approached the scene,

-'What's going on-'

-'He's being a brat, that's what's going on!' El said, half screaming,

-'Takes after his mom, I guess'

He grabbed the crying toddler into his arms and cuddled him,

-'Mommy's being mean, I know, she can be a handful sometimes'

El opened her eyes even wider in surprise, -'I really can't believe you two'

Hopper glared back at her,

-'Come on, L, let's go see what Mamam is making for you, and dry those tears' he passed a gentle hand across the boy's freckled cheeks, who leaned into the soft caress.

Mike was observing from the threshold of the bedroom door with raised eyebrows, and then walked towards El while securing a navy blue tie around his neck,

-'Your father is gonna spoil our son up'.

-'Tell me about it'.

END OF FB

Mrs. Robinson shuffled around some papers with a slight smile on her face, apparently pleased with what she saw and heard.

-'So, I think you' she pointed at Levi's button nose, -'Are very smart, and so so creative...wanna show mommy and daddy the drawing you made?' She asked coyly.

Levi nodded enthusiastically and went to take the piece of paper with his grabby hand.

He waved the paper around, and El couldn't help but let out a chuckle of endearment. He was so fucking cute.

-'Let me see, baby' she cooed, trying to reach for the famous drawing.

Mike scooted closer to inspect the thing.

-'This is mamma' the child pointed at a stick figure with quite detailed outfits and hair nonetheless. On top of stick-figure-El sat a mop of brown curls, and he had also added some strikes of purple to match her newly acquired style. The stick figure was wearing sea green scrubs and was seemingly smiling.

El's eyes watered, emotion overcoming her like a wave. She was so proud of this tiny being she had grown inside her belly, and now was making pictures of her so neatly.

El's eyes scooted over to stick-figure-Mike and she couldn't help but cackle.

Her laugh was contagious and soon enough, Levi and Mike were chuckling loudly as well.

Stick-figure-Mike was like 9 feet tall, and was wearing a striped button up with a red tie and holding some kind of tool in his hand.

The funniest part was that the hair was just a black messy scribble. Wasn't far from reality.

Mike grabbed the paper from her and inspected the drawing, -'Look, he even added the freckles' he pointed a the circles in the stick figure's cheeks.

El tried to surpress a sob to no avail.

She grabbed her son tight and attacked his spotted face with kisses,

-'My talented little man, I love you so much, thank you for your drawing!' She said enthusiastically.

Really. Thank you.

Most parents would find the drawing unimportant or childish and useless.

To El, everything her son did was a miracle.

It was a miracle he was even alive.

-'Hit me' Mike lifted a fist and Levi responded with a baby knock.

Mike's smile was so wide it make his eyes crinkle and freckles pull UP.

-'Good job, baby, I love how you drew me like a giant'.

—

El tapped her lip with the pen, thinking about all the medicines Levi was on.

-'...Inhalation therapy...portable inhalators, what else—'

Mike thought for a second, letting the child fiddle with his car keys,

-'The vitamins, and the thing for the allergies...the syrup'

El nodded and poked the air with the pen, remembering everything, then filling the form.

She continued writing on the thing.

Lactose intolerant. Pollen allergies. Dust allergies. Seafood allergies.

She moved the clipboard so Mike could spell-check what she wrote. He nodded in approval and grabbed the pen from her to sign the bottom of the form in the space the signatures were meant to be.

Ms. Robinson grabbed the filled form from the young parents and told both to go to the secretary's office to make the first payment for Levi's inscription and to retrieve the school plan.

As they walked through the halls of the fairly small school, Mike let out a sigh. A pride sigh.

He looked down...DOWN at the little boy holding his hand tight, looking around the unknown structure and fiddling with a baby toy.

-'Can you believe this bug is going to school' he asked El quietly.

She looked up at him and chuckled,

-'No, but not because I think he's not smart enough. But because he's growing so fast I just- where were we 3 and a half years ago?'

Mike raised his eyebrows and thought for a second,

-'I was probably crying my eyes off when I held him for the first time—while you were rude enough to keep sleeping' he chuckled and she smiled back.

-'Listen, anesthesia had me knocked out okay?' She giggled and sighed just like her husband had done seconds ago.

-'He's actually going to school. Wait til our parents find out-'

A lightbulb went off in Mike's brain.

-'Let's go to Hawkins after we're done. Your dad is on vacation, right?'

El nodded, -'I agree...they love when we visit. I haven't seen them in two weeks'

-'We've just been busy, it's okay'.

After paying a rather hefty price for the inclusion of their son in the school plan ("Let's go half and half" El had smartly suggested) and getting a date for the start of the pre-kindergarten school year ("October first", the secretary had said), Mike and El decided to start getting their child excited for this new stage of his life.

El lifted him up as they walked towards the cars,

-'My sweet sweet baby! You're so smart, you're going to school!' She tackled him with loving kisses, pulling giggles out of her precious son.

Mike lifted Levi's sweatshirt and started tickling him, making the baby squirm in El's grasp.

The family laughed blissfully, knowing damn well nothing could ruin this moment.

El handed the kid to his father who smothered him in cuddles before cuddling him like an actual toddler,

-'I'm so proud of you, you're so smart' he smiled, -'I love you son' Mike kissed his son's cheek and put him down,

-'Ah we gonna visit mamam and papap?' levi asked, breathless from laughing and returning kisses,

-'Yeah! And Nana and Teddy as well' Mike explained.

Ted never had a problem with not being called the traditional grandpa names every kid said.

Levi associated his name with his own teddy bears so...Teddy it is.

Teddy, who rocked him in his lazy boy and told him stories of past presidents while Levi payed close attention to the pictures in these books.

Teddy who prepared him boxed mac n cheese in the shape of cartoons when Nana wasn't home.

Teddy who took him by the hand to the supermarket and let him get glazed cookies.

Teddy who let the child climb on him when he accidentally fell asleep in his chair.

El looked into the parking lot at both cars.

-'Are we using the BMW for Hawkins?' She asked, taking a pair of sunglasses from her shirt pockets.

The 10am sun was raging now.

Mike sighed and thought for a sec.

No.

The first and last time they tried to go to Hawkins in the sedan, Mike's legs cramped so bad El had to drive for the last half of the way while he sobbed in the backseat.

-'You know my legs can't be in such a small space for so much time' the young man sighed.

El nodded, -'Daddy's truck then—should I drive?'

Mike thought for a second and shrugged,

-'Fine. Im gonna take the car home, pick me up there—buy us some take-out for the road first ok?' He instructed, while getting into the sedan;

Levi waved sadly from between his mother's arms while pouting, -'Daddy don't gooooooo'

El chuckled and shook her head,

-'We'll get some food and then go get daddy back, okay? It'll only take a few minutes. Come on, in you go' she put him in the baby seat, ignoring the fucking stubborn pain her back was putting her through. Ah, the perks of being a damn nurse assistant.

El was really outstanding at what she did. She helped with everything and anything.

From soothing scared mothers and fathers, to delivering babies, to curing open wounds. She could do it all in one shift. And it was certainly hard.

She sat on the driver's seat and let out a long, deep sigh. She rubbed her face, smudging a bit of the make up on her eyes around. She had started her shift at midnight, and ended it at 8am. Then gone straight to the school and now had to drive to Hawkins. Why had she offered in the first place?

-'What did you get?' Mike asked, while flinging a small bag (with "just in case" things in it) to his back and approaching the truck.

El held up three bags of fried chicken goodness and Mike smiled,

-'Sounds good to me! You still wanna drive?' He leaned against the co-pilots window.

El shook her head in sincerity, -'Not anymore, I'm tired, I wanna sleep'

-'Alrighty miss. Come on, move'.

After being settled in the car, and Mike grabbing a piece of chicken for himself, El occurred to ask about work,

-'Did you call in sick or something?' She questioned lazily, while snaking a hand towards his thigh; Mike shrugged and finished swallowing before responding,

-'I mean I told Marcia I had to go to Hawkins for like a sudden, important thing...she said she called Richard and he told her it was okay for me to skip, but I gotta work the whole Saturday' he pointed at his wife lazily with a chicken drumstick and nodded to himself, -'So we're in the clear',

El curled up into her seat and covered herself with Mike's hoodie,

-'...Do you wanna talk to your dad or my dad for the money situation?'

Mike frowned, -'What- El I know we're tight, I mean-shit...we knew Levi going to school was gonna be a thing, plus we have our savings, I think we'll be good'

-'I don't know, maybe they could help out on something or whatever' she looked back at her son who was already asleep, clutching a small stuffed animal and his sippy cup.

-'As you wish, m'lady. But YOU talk to them'.

—

Levi tried to open his latch of the baby car seat, already getting a bit flustered from the long ride.

-'Mamma' he whined, with crocodile tears down his face.

El turned around and chuckled, -'Baby, we're like five minutes away from Nana's house, I swear! Do you wanna go potty?'

He shook his head and shot his arms out at her,

-'Nuh uh, just wait like five more minutes, we'll be there!'.

—

-'SPECIAL DELIVERY FOR MISS KAREN WHEELER' Mike called from the outside of the house. He had a key but this was all for dramatic effect.

He heard Karen giggling inside while going to open the door, obviously recognizing her son's voice.

-'OOOOOH what a nice surprise!' She squealed happily, taking Mike's face between her hands and peppering it with kisses before greeting El with a warm smile and lastly, scooping Levi into her arms for a snuggle attack.

-'Hewwoo Nana' he mumbled against her neck, making grabby hands at her pastel pink tweed vest, she pouted and almost cried at the cuteness,

-'Awww, ny favorite little bug, how are you? You been good?'

-'Where's dad and Holly?' Mike asked, while sitting down on the living room couch,

-'Dad's working, Holly is at school. It's Thursday, Michael'

El giggled at her husband's forgetfulness,

-'Shouldn't you be at work?' Karen asked, a bit flustered, worried for hers son's job stability

-'I called off. We have some news, mother!' He announced happily.

Levi turned to look at his grandma with a proud smile on his face. It's like his parent's pride was contagious.

-'We enroled Levi into school' El smiled, holding her son's tiny hand.

Karen put a hand to her face and gasped back some tears.

-'Are you for real?!' She sighed out, a proud sob escaping her mouth. She waved a hand to Mike, motioning him to come hug her.

The young man stood up (all 6ft4 of him) and engulfed his mother and baby in a bone crushing hug.

-'Yeah—finally. He's being accepted, mom...it was great' he was crying too now.

Karen had known of all the struggles the young parents had experienced trying to get their child into school. She had gotten all the calls of Mike's disappointed voice and El's sad cries in the background. Had known how being rejected actually impacted Levi's demeanor, made him quieter and shy...because he was afraid of failure.

El had always heard and read about "Don't protect your kids from failure, it's a part of life" but the thing was—Levi hadn't failed.

He always nailed all the psychological tests, the basic academics, everything was perfect but his poor health made teachers say "We won't care for him, so he can't be here".

She had had to scoop her child up into his arms. His freckled cheeks reddening and growing wetter every second he kept crying, snot and everything.

The baby couldn't say much, but Mike and El could tell he was crying because he thought there was something wrong with him. Never would the teachers change their mind, or give the parents a second chance when they saw the heartbreaking scene in front of them.

When they saw Levi nestled against El's neck, smudging the collar of her sea green scrubs with all kinds of fluids while Mike nervously stroked his back, unconsciously fiddling with the pale blue inhalator in his hand. In case it was needed.

All this time, everyone had made Levi think he was dumb.

-'I'm smaht, Nana' he pointed at his own little head with a smile,

-'Of course you are, my sweet angel. Of course you are'.

—-

El was upstairs in Mike's bedroom (She had moved in with him after he came back from Chicago two and a half years ago), getting some fresh clothes she always kept in there and making Levi drink his milk in peace.

-'You guys gonna have lunch here?' Karen asked, while checking on some pot in the stove. Mike shook his head,

-'I think El's gonna take a shower and change, we're gonna go to Hopper's-'

Karen laughed out loud,

-'Jesus Christ, you know he's on vacation, right?' The woman shook her head mockingly, -'He calls me like at least twice a day, asking me what to do with Henry'

Mike let out a chuckle and rolled his eyes, -'I figured...'

-'He's lost some weight too, says the kid doesn't let him eat in peace'

Mike pouted jokingly -'Poor 200 pounds Hopper, what will he EVER do without steak?!'.

—

Mike heard some muffled voices coming from the other side of the bedroom door.

He opened it and saw El, still wrapped in a towel, her short hair dripping a bit into the carpet, and reading Levi a book about dinosaurs.

Mike shook his head and laid a hand on her bony shoulder,

-'Baby, go get some clothes on, I'll take care of him'

El looked up gratefully, -'Thank you' she mumbled before pressing a quick kiss to his lips.

Mike laid beside the small boy and supported the sippy cup to his lips with one hand, and grabbed the dinosaur book with the other.

Levi had a grasp to his father's thick black curls, slowly and self-soothingly caressing the strands while he focused on Mike's voice.

-'And then this one here is the brontosaurus, with the long neck, you see?'

Levi nodded in response and let the sippy cup go for a sec, -'Really long neck, like a buildiiing' he pointed his little finger at the picture before returning to suckle on the cup.

Mike chuckled, -'Maybe not as long as a building, but definitely very long-'

His train of thought was thrown off when El strolled in her underwear. Fuck.

Did I, Michael Dweeb Wheeler really married this goddess from the high heavens? Did I?

Yes.

-'Are you teasing me' he asked innocently so Levi couldn't catch on the flirty tone of the question.

El turned around to face them. All small breasts cupped by a pastel pink bra, all hipbones and bellybutton piercings, the faint shadow of ribs peeking every time she drew a breath.

All dainty, femenine and perfect.

El chuckled and blushed, -'Maybe...later, okay?' She winked and threw on a long sleeved light shirt and some soft sleeping shorts,

-'I'm tired' she cuffed her arms around his neck and Levi spat out the sippy cup and whined in protest, -'Mamma noooo, geddoff' he mumbled, pushing El off his dad with a tiny arm, El tumbled off Mike's body and into the bed with a pout,

-'What, I can't steal daddy off you for a second? We have to share, you know?'

Mike chuckled in endearment and kissed her head gently, -'I'll send him downstairs in a bit so we can sleep' he whispered, and El nodded with half her face plastered on the pillow.

Ten minutes passed and Mike really wanted to just spend some time with El,

-'Okay kiddo, mommy and daddy are tired...we're gonna take a little nap, why don't you go downstairs and see if Nana wants to give you some of the brownies she's baking before lunch?'

Levi pouted and bit the plastic mouth of the sippy cup,

-'Noo, I stay too'

El sighed deeply and thought of something,

-'Go on baby, maybe Nana will take you to collect Holly at school!' The child's eyes widened. He really liked playing with Holly. She allowed him to play with his dinosaurs along with her Barbies and they had a good time despite the 5 year age difference.

-'Okay' he tumbled off the bed carefully and grabbed his tiny backpack containing some of his favorite toys, El opened the door for him discreetly from between Mike's arms and closed it behind the boy. The couple unfroze when they heard Karen coo his name gently downstairs.

El turned to her side and grabbed Mike's face gently, examining his delicate features and planting a kiss on his lips.

He reciprocated, and engulfed her in his warm embrace. She whined silently in protest, -'You really haven't taken your work shirt off? How come I'm the only one half naked here?' She pouted cutely, swirling a finger around one of his black curls,

-'El...baby, my wife, light of my life, angel, my sun and my moon, my morning and my sunset, my beautiful, gorgeous, hot girl...I adore you, with every fibre of my being, but we aren't gonna fuck in my bed when my mom is downstairs with our kid, who has the habit of bursting in exactly when my tent is going full force'

El's eyebrows where way up her forehead, impressed by her husband's discourse,

-'You talk too much sometimes' she said , trying to suppress a chuckle, Mike snorted and leaned back on the headboard, lazily unbuttoning his shirt,

-'I think I can agree with that—fine, shirt is off, behold my way-too-pale freckled upper body, princess' he leaned his head against hers and her curls tickled his nose,

-'You're perfect to me...you know that, right' she muttered lowly, staring directly into his eyes.

He nodded gently and kissed her sweetly.

She leaned up to kiss him harder, and he bit her lower lip softly, tugging at it playfully.

-'Hmmm' she mumbled, coyly, -'I thought no fucking'

-'How is this the same, Jane' Mike laughed. He grabbed her face and planted a skimo kiss on her nose,

-'Let's take a nap, I'm so tired' his eyes suddenly droopy, El nodded and hugged his waist,

-'You're warm'

-'Always...come on, nap time' Mike put the duvet over their bodies.

El instinctively curled up against him, hugging his arm tight, and kissing his collarbone gently,

'i love you, have sweet dreams'

-'Love you too, Ellie. Let's enjoy this and see how long it takes my mom to burst in and wake us up'

El chuckled and placed a smooch to his jawline,

-'Dweeb'.

—

Like clockwork, only ten minutes later, two tiny fists slammed against Mike's bedroom door.

El drew a deep breath, even though she had only napped for ten minutes, she had been in a deep sleep.

-'Fuck' she whispered, rubbing her eyes to see where the noise was coming from,

-'Just ignore him and he'll leave' Mike mumbled from his place against her chest.

But the tiny fists persisted. Now they sounded like four instead of two. El frowned,

-'When did we have another kid' she mumbled, hazy vision making it hard to look around the room,

-'I don't know, maybe you had twins but never reali-'

A huge voice thundered from the other side of the door, -'Alright Wheeler, get your hands off my daughter'.

Now Mike was awake.

El's head popped up, her lips forming a bright smile, dimples showing, -'Dad?'

-'Yeah yeah kid, open up. These monkeys are restless out here'

El giggled and flicked her pinky, making the door unlock and swing open.

Before her, Hopper wearing a greyish blue shirt and jeans, a blonde blue-eyed two year old Henry hanging off his arms as an accessory, Levi peeking his head from behind his Papap's leg.

Mike got up from the bed and stretched his muscles, -'I'll have you know-' yawn, -'She's my wife now', Hopper frowned at Mike's bullshit logic, -'So that makes her less of my daughter?'

Mike chuckled and patted his shoulder, -'How've you been?'

-'Good, clearly struggling without Joyce' he pointed at the kid hanging from his forearm, El chuckled mockingly and grabbed Henry gently,

-'Well hello, mister man-'

-'El put some damn clothes on, I'll be downstairs, Karen is almost done with the food'

His daughter pouted and ruffled Henry's hair,

-'Mamma, kissies' Levi puckered up and giggled when he received a smooch and a cuddle from his mother.

—

-'How's Joyce doing Hop? Haven't seen her since last week' Karen asked kindly, as she put some brownies to bake and settled everything for lunch,

-'She's good, bringing in extra hours ya know' he responded, while watching his son and grandson playing a few feet away from him,

-'I'm going crazy...like I fucking adore Henry but god knows I'm not 25 anymore, I don't have the energy'

Karen turned and rolled her eyes, -'You're 43, Hop...'

-'Yeah, what's your point? I have grey hairs, Karen. GREY!'

The woman chuckled and shook her head,

-'I think all those popped up when El got pregnant, and that was a while ago! Don't blame it on this little blonde thing right here!'

Hop looked again at the two toddlers. Levi was laughing at Henry, he had shared some of the contents of his sippy cup with the younger child, and Hopper could see the milky white contents of it dripping down his chin,

-'Making messes is what makes them happy...they're gonna ruining your rug-'

Hop went to stand up and stop the children when Karen chuckled and held his forearm,

-'Hop, there's no need for that, they're just playing!'

-'Aren't they about to ruin your one thousand dollar persian rug?'

Karen let out a cackle and got up to get the food on the table,

-'It's not persian and it's not one thousand dollars, relax...can you call Mike and El please?'

—-

Mike was held El's hips gently, his hands barely grazing against her portruding bones there. He felt like he was drowning, or maybe breathing wasted air but in the best way possible because it was El taking his breath away with mind-numbing kisses.

Her hands roamed around his torso greedily, she sank her weight fully on top of Mike's hips making him groan in response, almost accidentally biting her lips.

She pulled away and gasped for air, giggled with spice and laid her cold, small hands on his chest. His heartbeat was fast and his breathing was deep, equally strained.

-'Don't have a heart attack on me, handsome' she raised an eyebrow and brushed her tiny nose against his. He scrunched up his nose and stole a peck off her strawberry lips. She gasped playfully and held his face with one hand,

-'My cute! Adorable! Schmoopy! Sweet! Little! Muffin of sunshine!'

-'El! Quit with the embarrassing pet names!' He pleaded with a grin,

-'No! My lovely beautiful piece of cupcake! The absolute cutest-'

Mike decided he was over this and decided to tickle away.

El exploded in cackles and tried to writhe away from Mike's sneaky hands.

-'STOP! MIKE!'

Just as she was about to punch him playfully, Hopper opened the door and sighed.

-'Come on, you weirdos, lunch is ready—El didn't I tell you to put clothes on?'

El regained her breath and climbed off her husband,

-'Okay daddy, we'll be right down!'

Hopper grunted before closing the door again.

Mike grabbed El's behind as she got off the bed,

-'You're amazing' he smiled, before she raised an eyebrow, all flirty, and blew him a kiss.

—-

The doorbell rang while the two families were in the middle of savoring some excellent canelones.

Mike's eyebrow furrowed.

For some reason, people ringing their doorbell at odd times like this, and unannounced made him uneasy. Like he was ready to flee.

Hopper taught him once, three years ago, that he should always be ready to escape.

FB

It was a nice, crisp end-of-September morning. Fall was fast approaching so the sun felt nice with the cold air.

It was 6:00am though and Hop was gonna start his shift early today.

He grabbed his thick jacket from the hanger and quickly made his way out-until he saw someone on the corner of his eye, sitting on the swinging bench on the front porch.

Sigh of relief, when he saw it was just Mike.

He turned to look at the scene.

-'I didn't want him to wake El up' the teenager explained.

The baby in his arms had been a little sneezy for a few days, thus waking himself up, thus crying and interrupting his parents' sleep.

Hop saw a stain of snot, probably, on Mike's shirt,

-'You should—' Hop sighed, a bit irritated and disgusted, -'Don't hold his head on your shoulder Michael, he's making a mess on you'

-'O-Oh, I-I'm sorry, i just don't-'

Hop rolled his eyes. What a dweeb.

-'I'll let you figure it out...' he was ready to leave Mike and Levi alone when he remembered something and turned around again,

-'Michael?'

-'Yes, Hop?'

The older man sat on one of the odd wooden chairs outside in front of his son-in-law,

-'Been wanting to talk about this for a while but somehow never found the time' he started, Mike's huge eyes fixed on him,

-'I know you wanna protect your new family...hell of it was for me El and the baby would never leave this house, but I know that's not good for them—and I know you two have been talking about what to do in the next few years-' the kid sneezed against Mike's shoulder, but the teenager didn't even register such action,

-'El has told me...conversed with me, about some things. About moving and stuff. And I agree, you want to have your own life and I will not stop you. But Mike—You're the head of the family—now I know your lanky ass doesn't believe that, but it's your duty to protect them...especially because you know damn well your circumstances-'

-'Sir, I-'

-'Just let me finish. I know you sometimes think how can you protect them. YOU, when El is...well...herself. But trust me Mike—and do this for me, please take care of them. With your life'

Mike swallowed and rubbed his cheek against his son's cotton-y black hair,

-'Sir...I put myself between your daughter and ten army men with guns, convinced that if I died they would leave her alone. And that was when I was twelve and she was eleven. And now—I know that day wasn't that long ago, but now I seriously won't hesitate if I have to kill or get killed to protect my family'. Shit. The kid had it in him.

-'And that's why-' Hopper started again, -'When I get back this afternoon, we're gonna start shooting together. You're gonna learn the basics of some guns and weapons, and just...do what we have to do, okay?'

Mike nodded, quite enthusiastically,

-'We're also gonna learn about evacuation plans. When to leave, when to fight...it's time you guys learn all this'.

END OF FB

Karen opened the front door and Lucas, Max and Dustin all came in, completely uninvited as always.

El squealed in delight and bolted to her feet to tackle Max, who held her up like she was nothing,

-'Light as a feather, El!' She mocked, twirling her best friend around before eventually setting her down.

Mike also got up and hugged Lucas and Dustin tight, -'I missed you guys so much'

-'We missed you too man; how's Chicago?'

-'So cold I think my dick shrunk'

Mike heard Hopper cackle loudly at his comment his son in law rolled his eyes.

Lucas punched him playfully, -'Indiana is beating my ass man, college is hard'

Mike nodded in agreement. College was kicking his ass too. Long tests, huge books, a lot of practical homework. At least being in a job directly related to what he was studying absolutely was of help.

-'Biology is easy for me' Dustin added, -'I think it's because I'm so interested in it' he shrugged, anf snooped around the table, -'Ah, Mrs. Wheeler, what have you delighted us with here in this fine afternoon?' He asked, Karen chuckled-'Serve yourself Henderson'.

The party (Minus Will because he was in art class in Indianapolis), all started eating loudly (as normal twenty-year-old friends would).

El and Mike slipped out of the chummy group,

-'The oxygen tank is in the back right?' She asked, while holding his hand gently, Mike nodded -'Will you grab my stethoscope? To do a quick exam? It's in my bag'

-'Mhhm, be right back. Make sure he's seated, and calm, ok?'.

Daily one-hour sessions of oxygen therapy were like a nightmare for Levi. It forced him to stay still and he was pretty active back at Home, and ESPECIALLY now and here with Henry to make him company, so his parents always had to make sure they had a nice TV show on for him, or gave him a puzzle for him to (try to do) while he received this necessary treatment.

Hop grabbed Henry when he saw El coming into the house again with a small pale blue oxygen tank and tubes inside a carrying case with "Jane E. Hopper Wheeler" scribbled on with a marker.

'Here' El handed Mike his stethoscope.

Biomedical engineering came with perks. One of them is that Mike was learning a lot from the doctors around him, and even had classes with other med students even if his future job was to assemble and fix machines to help patients, it was all interconnected.

The party continued bickering as if nothing was going on while Mike and El focused on their tasks.

-'Hey kiddo, look! Your dinosaur book! Take it, we have to give you your medicine now okay?' El talked gently but firmly at the same time.

Levi pouted and wanted to cry but held back,

-'Okay mamma' he mumbled, silent tears falling against his ruddy freckled cheeks,

-'I know you hate this, little guy but we have to, okay?' Mike took the kid's shirt off and felt for any signs of fever, rash or anything out of the ordinary. All good.

-'You check his mouth and nose this time, see if everything's clear, and I'll check his lungs' Mike instructed, to which El agreed.

El flashed the light further in, -'Mouth looks good, throat isn't especially swollen but then again, we had some coughing a few days ago, remember?'

-'yeah...I'm hearing a little wheezing but I think that's normal, it's nothing we haven't checked before with the pediatrician...how's the nose?'

El sighed, a bit annoyed -'I mean, one nostril is completely clogged but what's new...we'll have to give him saline when we get home tonight...that's it'

-'Okay great...let's plug this in then'.

—

Mike sat on the back porch of his childhood home, overlooking a line of pine trees that made the air cooler and fresher.

He heard the back door open but paid no mind as to who it had been.

-'You smoke now?' Hop asked.

Mike pushed back his mane of unruly hair and sighed out smoke,

-'Sometimes. Occasionally...El doesn't want me doing it in the house, much less with the baby around...which is—understandably logical'

Hop walked towards Mike and leaned against a chair,

-'Why?'

Mike looked up. What does he mean why?.

-'makes me not hungry sometimes, when I don't have time to eat between class and work...calms my nerves more than pills'

-',..Still on those?'

Mike snorted and rolled his eyes.

-'Jesus Hop, I'd be on the brink of a nervous breakdown if I leave them...I think'

-'Now what has you so nervous? Seems like you're settled back in Chicago'

Mike leaned back and hugged around himself. It was getting too cold.

-'Money I guess. Time...Levi's sickness. It's all like, crushing me'

-'Money now? That's so...banal. Common. Fixable'

-'I don't want your allowance' he replied stubbornly,

-'El does. And I'll be happy to help with his school fees...'

-'Still'.

Hopper knew better. He felt the same anxiety towards El. Mike feared the pst. Before he could speak again, Mike went ahead,

-'I sleep with a gun in my bedside table drawer every night...or day, depending on what shift I managed to get'

Hop sighed deeply and ran a hand through his face indignantly,

-'I know, I gifted you the—'

-'You don't know...when I have to get up at 6am, and El just got home, and I get ready for work and I come into the bedroom and she's already asleep...I never wanna leave them. I never wanna leave their side, but I have to...do you understand?' Mike turned to look at his father-in-law dead in the eye.

-'Every morning. When I gotta go to work, and Joyce too...and I leave my own son with the babysitter...and I think about El and Levi...and you. All when I wake up. I don't wanna leave either Mike but you have to get it together. They need you, okay? You have to be there for them'

Mike slumped down on the chair and held his face in his hands, he was feeling overwhelmed and anxious and like he always wanted to cry and leave whatever he was doing at work, whatever machine he was fixing, whatever course he was attending and just go home to his wife and kid because who better to take care of them? Than himself?

-'He's just a baby and he still has nightmares Hop, and god knows I have them too...'

-'Oh not this Mike, we've been through this...hey he held the younger man's bony shoulders, -'It's all gone. You're better. You've been eating, right?' Although by the poking feel of the shoulder blades and prominent bones, Hopper could've guessed Mike was starving himself again,

-'Yes, sir' he swatted Hop's hand away, -'And I've been taking the meds too. Everything is in order, it's just-'

-'You're caving into yourself. Drowning in a droplet of water. Why don't you rejoice for what you have today?'.

What Mike had?

A job that paid enough for rent, hot water, the light bill, a basic plan of cable and some spare for gas.

A beautiful wife who complimented him in every single way.

A son who greeted him gleefully whenever he stepped into their home.

A home. A two bedroom shoebox with odd ornaments, picture frames, a TV and two fucking Guinea pigs.

His life was pretty set. Mostly because he had worked his ass from that late summer day he found out he was gonna be a teenage parent; tutoring, fixing cars, fixing Tvs, fucking anything so that his son could be safe and have a future. Now at twenty, he had a good GPA in college, a decent job and a happy family. Why was he worrying for again?

-'One day at a time, Michael. I'll always be there for you guys' Hop squeezed his shoulder and went inside.

—

Inside the house, the party was bring loud over snacks as always.

-'Sshhh, you fucking animals can't you see El and the baby are asleep?!' Lucas whispered furiously, trying not to wake up his friend and godson, who were peacefully napping on the couch.

El had fallen asleep while helping the kid solve a little puzzle, after making sure the oxygen therapy was going well.

-'So I'm a fucking animal then too?' Max wanted to start bickering out of spite,

-'Sure are' Dustin said, teasingly. He received a reprimanding swat to his cap, courtesy of Hop who was passing by with a golden haired toddler hanging from his back,

-'Be quiet or move somewhere else, Jesus'.

Mike entered th living room, the scene before him making his heart melt. Wow. His family.

His wife.

His son.

His.

He kneeled before El and stroked a few strands of curly hair out of her forehead,

-'Hey' he whispered gently, booping her tiny nose with a feather touch,

El scrunched up her face and pouted, -'I'm-is somrthing wrong?' She asked with a whiny sleepy voice, Mike chuckled at the cuteness,

-'No, you just fell asleep in a weird position...you wanna go upstairs and get some good sleep or—'

El shook her head gently,

-'I'm gonna go-' yawn -'talk to my dad...bring the baby up, make sure the oxygen's turned off'.

—

-'So how's it been? Two weeks without seeing your pop, huh?' Hop ran a hand through El's hair, making her giggle,

-'I missed you dad...everyone . I miss you every day' her throat knotted a bit, -'But I like my life in Chicago. It's hard...every day, is just very hard...the other week Mike and I had shifts at the same time, you know? Morning and morning...we had to leave Levi with Ms. Maud, the lady-'

-'From the fifth floor? And how did that go?'

El shrugged, -'It was hard to...allow that. But Mike had 8 to 5 at the hospital, and I had a 6 to 6 shift as well...it had to be done' she shrugged lazily and scooted closer to her father,

-'Being alone is a lot harder than you explained, dad' she admitted with a deep sigh,

-'...I've lived alone. I just...wasn't a teenage parent, I was selfish then, yea?'

El nodded , -'I understand. It's just hard. Not because of the money, like Mike would tell you...sometimes I don't have the energy for anyone else you know?'

Oh. Believe me. Hopper knew.

FB

-'Come on, Ellie, you wanted to visit your mamma and your aunt for mother's day? You're coming!'

Hop called from the living room loudly.

El was in her room, wincing every time she moved her arms to throw on some summer dress she had chosen to go visit her mamma. This vertical scar on her stomach had been tormenting her for the last two weeks. It made it feel like everything was ten times heavier.

She hated using her powers around her newborn baby but she had to, because even Levi's four pounds frame felt like a ton when she held him without any help.

The one hour ride to her mamma's went smoothly, Levi slept all the way through it, even over the sound of Hop's deep voice talking to el.

Becky glared at her with judgemental eyes as soon as she came in the house.

-'You look tired, Jane' she pointed out.

El let out an involuntary but all too familiar whimper; sitting down was such a fucking task,

-'Ya think?' She shot back sarcastically,

Becky squinted and raised an eyebrow,

-'I'd think you'd be smarter you know? You're fiftee-'

-'Fifteen, I know and you're fucking infuriating right now, I didn't come to see you, I wanted to se my mamma'

Becky bit her lip, Hopper containing himself from intervening,

-'Well, your mamma is still catatonic, I doubt she can register her daughter rolled around with some kid and had a baby at fifteen-'

El pushed the coffee table she was sitting in front of, spilling some of the tea she had been served and looked up at Hopper,

-'I'm tired of this...I come see my mother and all I get is more fucking judgement dad!'

He laid a hand on her shoulder and pleaded silently,

-'Not in front of the baby, please' he pointed at the little bundle squirming weakly around some blankets. El sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a second,

-'I need to get my shit together-'

-'You sure do, you're acting like a brat'

El shot a glare at her aunt and proceeded to grab her son gently, using her powers to make him at least a pound lighter.

Owens' nurses weren't kidding when they said recovery would be extremely painful.

El sat beside her mamma while rocking the baby gently in her arms. She liked to talk to her, maybe she was listening.

-'I'm tired. But happy if that makes sense' she started, running a hand through Levi's tuft of soft, lint-like hair,

-'It's been hard, ya know? It's only gonna get harder but...oddly enough, I don't regret anything. I wish you were...okay, to help me...I need you right now' she didn't realized the tears falling down her pink cheeks.

END OF FB

-'I don't know if Mike asked you already' she said, shyly, -'But...we kinda need some mo-'

-'I offered to pay for his school fees, El. You won't have to worry about Levi's education on top of everything else'

A sigh of relief escaped her mouth unconsciously.

It wasn't that El wasn't willing to pay for her own son's school, it's just that they were so tight already it seemed pretty impossible. But dad always had her back, no matter what.

-'Thanks daddy, i- you know I wouldn't ask if I didn't need the help'

Hop looked down (way down) at his small daughter and swept her off her feet, holding her like he used to when she was just thirteen,

-'Dad! You scared me' she pouted,

-'You're not too old for me to hold you like a toddler, Ellie'

The girl chuckled and nestled her head against the crook of her father's neck. She's always been a daddy's girl, an unashamed one for sure. And even with two step-sons and a blood-son, The apple of Hopper's eye was El. His only girl (not counting Sara). His pride and joy.

-'Betcha Henry sees us and he'll toddle out and yell' Hop smiled to himself,

-'I don't doubt it, that little thing knows too much'

-'He's a handful, I was gonna ask you guys to adopt him'

El gasped and smacked her dad's cheek playfully, -You don't mean that, he keeps you in shape!'.

—

-'Let's go to town' Max suggested, with her mouth full of chocolate cake. Mike did a face at the sight, -'You're disgusting' he said, receiving a flick of icing in response,

Lucas chuckled and nodded -'I agree. Maybe down to the quarry too?'

Mike stood up, -'Let me get my kid up, I want him to see some people'

Dustin, oddly, stood up as well,

-'Ah yes, let me get my kid too' and proceeded to lift Max as if she was a feather.

—-

-'We should totally walk...this fresh air is great' Lucas said, watching as El and Mike convinced Levi to leave Nana, Papap and Henry behind in exchange for a walk with his parents.

Henry protested. Audibly so. And by protested, I mean he yelled until Hopper let him go with Mike, El and Levi for a damn walk in town.

"Take care of this monkey, Ellie!"

"will do! I'll call you when we come back!"

El zipped up the boy's navy blue windbreaker to his chin, making him look like a toddler-sized marshmallow, Mike couldn't help but grin at the adorable sight of his son protesting a little due to his limited mobility and his wife (wow. WIFE.) slipping on a light sweater over her crop top ('Michael, I will wear crop tops for as long as I can').

Henry pulled at Mike's jeans and shot out his arms when the man looked down.

-'Oh jesus Henry, come on! This is called "a walk" for a reason!'

Nevertheless, Henry got his ride in the arms of Mike Wheeler.

—-

It took them fifteen minutes on foot to reach the main strip, and at this point Max had already yelled at El to "put a fucking pacifier in your brother's mouth and make him stop babbling, I'm done". El didn't argue.

Across the main street, a group of posh girls they used to know from high school glared at the group. Maybe jealous of their friendship.

El knew better though...one of those girls had tried to flirt with Mike in senior year. Tried very very hard. Followed him to track practice, complimented him a lot even in front of Eleven, and even tried to kiss him once to which he filed a complaint for harassment.

El let Levi walk alongside Lucas and hold his hand, while hers slipped in the back pocket of Mike's jeans.

He's still mine. Back off.

She heard him let out a tiny gasp.

She looked up at him and chuckled, -'You're blushing'

Mike cleared his throat, -'Lost something? Wanna grab my wallet or-'

-'No, it's just...Olivia West and her pack of man-stealing bitches are right down the street'

Max looked over at the same time as Mike did.

-'I hated that pack so much, one of them tried to spy on Lucas while he was changing after football!'. The girls kept sharing their memories of that particular group for a while longer, the sound of Levi Dustin and Lucas chattering in the background.

-'Hey' Mike called, putting Henry down, ignoring the protests coming muffled from the child's mouth, -'Look at me, Jane' he stopped in his tracks and held the hand that was not in his pocket.

El looked up at her husband, -'What'

He smiled and touched her cheek, -'You're the love of my life, you know that? My moon and my stars...you've always been—and I've always been in love with you'

It was El's turn to blush this time,

-'Aww. Shit. You're so cute. Lean down, I have to kiss you'.

—-

A shy, tall-for-his-age African American boy scrambled to the front door of Melvald's ready to take over the incoming clients.

A weird sight.

Three young men (one of them holding the hand of a black haired child) and two equally youthful women (one of them carrying a golden-haired baby) entered the store like they were strolling into their living room.

The dainty, short woman approached him, putting a pacifier into the baby's mouth to shut him up,

-'Hi, is Joyce here?'

-'Uhhh...Ms. Joyce?! Somebody wants to see you'

The group continued talking to one another while taking all kinds of candy from everywhere and anywhere.

Joyce walked out the back with a pen acting as a pin for her dark auburn hair. Her smile was so big it could've brightened the whole planet.

-'KIDS!' She squealed, the boy behind her raising his eyebrows in surprise. She knew these people?

Joyce kissed everyone on the cheek and grabbed the blonde baby from El's arms,

-'Mamma' Henry muttered, trying to talk through his paci,

-'Hi, I missed you! Have you been good?'

-'No' Max and Dustin responded immediately. Joyce chuckled and kissed Henry's ruddy cheeks,

-'Andre, this is my son Henry, my daughter Jane, Max, Dustin, Lucas and Mike and-'

-'Mamam I'm heeere' Levi popped up from behind some merchandise stands and hugged her leg, -'My grandson; Levi'

Andre waved shyly at the group of people, not at all fazed by the fact that Joyce had a GRANDSON.

Mike glanced at what his son was holding in his hands,

-'Oh my god, every single time he comes here he grabs the same damn thing'

The young man opened Levi's little hand and took out a packet of Hershey's Kisses,

-'Son, do you wanna spend the weekend sick? Just because you wanted to eat some chocolate?'

Dustin shook his head and laughed, -'You guys remember when I tried to feed him nougat?'

-'I'd rather forget' Max answered sharply.

—COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER —

-'EL! Open the fucking door, I have to pee!'

No response.

-'What are you doing in there?! What's taking so long'

-'I'm exfoliating' a calm voice responded from the other side of the door.

Mike looked scandalized,

-'EXFOLIATING?! It's our son's first day of school, and we need the bathroom and you wanna exfoliate?!'

-'Listen, I deserve this'

-'Eleven, don't make me grab my tools and take down this door. I swear I'll pee in your coffee if you don't open this damn-' *click*

-'Come in. Don't threaten my coffee ever again'

Mike kicked the door open and started reprimanding his wife while also relieving himself,

-'You do know we only have one bathroom right' he sighed, -'We gotta share!'

El chuckled giddily, -'I just wanted to get you riled up. You're so cute when you're mad'

Mike blushed while washing his hands, it was the power El had over him.

Now, celebrating their seventh month wedding anniversary, and also seventh year together, Mike still felt like he fell inlove with El every day all over again.

-'I'd join you if there wasn't a child eating grilled ham sandwich right outside this door' he teased,

-'You already showered'

-'Doesn't matter'

El poked her head out of the shower to see her husband wink at her.

Jesus. It's too early for this.

—

El grabbed an orange and an apple and stuffed it inside the already overflowing lunchbox while Mike stared in amusement,

-'You really think the kid's gonna eat all that?' He chuckled, to which El rolled her eyes,

-'I mean, who knows? He has to eat some of it!'

Mike peeked in,

-'Ham sandwich, crackers, water AND juice, an orange and an apple-'

-'And some peanuts-'

-'...And peanuts. Okay. Not even *I* eat all that when I'm at work'

El sighed deeply and lowered her head,

-'Mike...it's my first time doing all this, I don't know what He's gonna need so he better be ready for everything!'

Mike chuckled and hugged her gently,

-'You're doing great, I'm just messing with you' he kissed her head as she cuddled closer, -'Also, you look super hot in those scrubs because-'

El pinched his ribs and made him jump back, -'OUCH! What did I say! You look hot because they're pink this time instead of-'

-'You're such a dweeb, Mike' she laughed and kissed him deeply.

—

El squealed when she saw her son fully dressed for his first day of school ever.

-'LOOK AT HIS LITTLE NAVY BLUE POLO HE LOOKS SO CUTE' she said in a teary, high-pitched voice, she couldn't help but to collapse on the floor while outstretching her arms so that Levi could hug her.

-'Mamma don't cwyy' he mumbled, -'Ah you sad?'

El breathed in deeply and shook her head,

-'I'm happy baby, these are happy tears. I'm so proud of you'

Mike chuckled from behind the lense of the camera,

-'Hopper is gonna laugh at you crying like this'

El waved a hand at him and made a hand towel fly to the camera,

-'What! This is great blackmailing material, look at my wife crying abo-'

-'You're a dick, Mike, get in the hug!'.

—

-'I want someone to take our picture' El looked around for anyone who could help (and operate a camera properly); Mike agreed silently and scanned the open place around.

-'Hi, excuse me miss, would it be a bother if I asked you to take our picture? It's our son's first day and-'

-'Oh don't worry darling, sure!'

The jolly, fat woman grabbed the camera and settled the family in front of the entrance of the school.

-'Lean a little, dear, I'm cutting half your head' she motioned at Mike, the comment made El laugh and mumble "seaweed" at her husband.

-'Smile Levi!' El said to her son, who put on an even wider smile and wrapped his mother and father in a headlock.

—-

-'Ooooh this is going on the wall' El squealed, looking at all the pictures they made the poor woman take, Levi grabbed one of them, -'Wook at daddy, wooks like a nooooooduhl'

Mike glared at his son, -'A noddle huh? Am I a noddle now?' He scooped him up effortlessly and flipped him upside down by this little ankle,

-'Daddy let me down!'

Mike tickled the kid with his other hand and ultimately quit torturing him so he could run into his first day of pre-K.

—

-'So this is the list of allergies and everything else you need to know about him, our numbers of contact and such...and our signature' El explained to the already perplexed teacher.

-'Okay...Jane and Mitchell, right?'

-'Michael' Mike reminded her, -'And little Levi'

-'Right...I'll keep this in mind of course' Ms. Turner waved the paper around, -'It's just a pre-K class, really, nothing so complicated'

-'No, we know. It's just...precaution' El shrugged and watched as her son was already sharing a drawing book with two boys and a girl, which made her grin,

-'Mike's gonna pick him up at 3pm today, so...look for him'

Ms Turner glared at the young man beside El, -'He'd be hard to miss' she remarked, referring about his unusually tall stature.

—-

El crouched in front of Levi, while gently holding his chubby little hands,

-'It's your first day of school. Are you excited?' She asked the child with a small voice,

Levi nodded and smiled weakly, -'Miss you' he booped her nose and pouted,

-'I'll miss you too, but you'll have fun here for a little while, and make friends'

-'Fwiends?'

Mike nodded and sat in front of Levi, -'Friends, like Lucas, Dustin, Max, Will and your mamma and I. We are all friends...you can have friends of your own too-'

-'Fwiends ah fun?'

-'Very fun' El assured him, while looking into his sea-green eyes, -'But you will also learn things here...and we'll be right here in your little classroom by three to come take you home!'

-'Thwee? Pwomise?'

El was too choked up in tears to answer so Mike swooped in,

-'Okay look...' he lifted Levi's tiny sleeve, revealing a camo-printed digital watch -'When it says three zero zero here...you see?' He tapped at the screen, to which Levi nodded, -'I'll be here to pick you up today'

-'Thwee zeewo zeewo?'

-'Yes...you'll be fine because you're smart, and you're valuable and you're important and we love you'

Levi's freckles contorted when he smiled and his cheeks blew up,

-'I wuv you too'

El kissed his head and Mike high-fived him, -'Go learn things and make friends, baby. Look, your teacher's calling for you!'

Levi turned to the small classroom and back at his parents,

-'Okay mamma and daddy! Bye! I make fwiends and leahn today!'

-'You sure will! We love you!'.

—-

El knew she was probably being glared at by more experienced mothers.

She'd been sobbing into Mike's chest for five minutes straight mumbling shit about missing Levi and not wanting to leave.

"Do you think he's ready enough? Healthy enough? Extroverted enough?"

Mike could only chuckle at every question she made.

-'Yes he is. He's super ready for this El. It was gonna happen either way' he grabbed some tissues from his pocket and wiped her tears gently,

-'Look at me Ellie...he's gonna do good. This is the first day of another phase, and we'll figure it out as we always do'

El pouted and nodded softly, -'I just-worry'

-'I know, and I worry too. But he's a tough cookie and he'll be okay, we have to let him go'

The young woman looked up at him and drew a deep breath,

-'I love you, thank you for being so good'

Mike chuckled and grabbed her even tighter,

-'I love you too Ellie. I think we did good with this one' he nodded towards Levi's classroom, unaware that his wife was about to steal a kiss off him.


End file.
